Split Pea Soup and Cheddar Biscuits

Split Pea Soup

• 2 cups split peas, washed
• 10 cups vegetable or meat stock
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 4 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 2 bay leaves

Make a good, rich stock with a ham bone or pork hocks. Add bones to a large pot along with 8 cups water, 4 carrots, 2 stocks celery (including tops), 2 bay leaves and a chopped onion. Simmer for about 1-1/2 hours. Let stock cool and then strain. Discard the vegetables but save any meat to add to the soup.

Add enough water to stock to make 10 cups. Add split peas, carrots, celery and onions along with bay leaves and thyme. Simmer soup until peas are very tender. Cool soup (very important) and blend in batches in the blender or food processor. If you want to thin it down a bit add a little water until it is your preferred consistency. Add meat and reheat. If you want to add a little color to the soup bowl puree a cooked carrot with a little cream and drizzle on the top of the soup.

A purchased stock works well in this recipe, but a homemake stock has so much more flavor. This is a great way to use that leftover ham bone or an excess of vegetables. I used a Honey Baked Ham bone and the soup was soooo good. It isn’t the most beautiful soup in the world, but it is one of the tastiest. When folks say you are the color of pea soup it isn’t a compliment.

This recipe is from Ina Garten’s new book, back to basics. The book is filled with fantastic recipes and I can’t wait to try them all.

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

• All purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken
• 1 cold extra large egg
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.

Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour and mix only until moistened. In a small bowl add a little flour to the grated cheese and toss till coated. Add the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.

Dump out the dough onto a well-floured board and knead lightly about six times. Roll out to a rectangle 5 x 10 inches. Cut into desired shapes. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sea salt, and bake for 20 minutes or until nicely browned and cooked through.

These biscuits can be cut out and refrigerated overnight, and baked right before serving. They make wonderful little open face sandwiches when split and topped with a little meat, cheese and mayo.

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