Pea Soup with Mint and Pork Hock

Description

Pea soup with mint and pork hock is a creative variation of the classic recipe. Smoked pork is still included, but it is added at the end of cooking to avoid overwhelming the light chicken broth, which replaces the typical meat stock. A key condition is that the soup is highly recommended to be cooled before adding the peas; it’s best to start cooking in a not-hot liquid. If it's clear that the soup won't be eaten all at once, it's also better to serve the blanched green peas separately rather than tossing them into the main pot. Plus, the soup will taste even better the next day.

Ingredients

• Pea shoots - 20 oz
• Frozen green bean pods - 20 oz
• Carrot - 4 pieces
• Onion - 4 heads
• Leek - 4 stalks
• Smoked pork knuckle - 0 lbs
• Red Wine Vinegar - 4 spoons
• 20% Sour Cream - 5 oz
• Chicken Broth - 5 qt
• Mint - 0 oz
• Salt - to taste
• Vegetable Oil - 0 fl oz
• Ground Black Pepper - to taste

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Finely chop the carrot, onion, and leek. In a deep sauté pan, heat vegetable oil and sauté the chopped vegetables for three minutes, seasoning with a generous pinch of salt. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer the vegetables for another half hour.

Step 2

Next, add the chicken broth and pork hock, and simmer for another forty minutes. After that, cool it down—either naturally, in the refrigerator, or using an ice bath, which can be set up in a large sink for the pot. The soup needs to be cooled so that you can add the peas, which are better cooked in a non-hot liquid.

Step 3

After cooling, return to heat and add dried peas. Cook for an hour, then season with vinegar and salt. Remove the ham hock and cut it into cubes. Blanch the green peas in salted water.

Step 4

When serving, garnish the soup with green peas, diced pork, sour cream, and finely chopped mint.

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