My Split Pea Soup with Bacon and Egg makes a hearty delicious meal. Perfect on a cold night or any night. Serve with a poached or fried egg on top and crispy bacon.
1pounddried split green peasrinsed and picked over
6large eggs
reserved bacon fatfor frying eggs
Instructions
FRY BACON:
In a large pot over medium high heat, sauté the bacon until the fat is rendered and it's crispy. About ten minutes. You'll notice a fond - brown bits - forming on the bottom of the pot. That's flavor.
Transfer the bacon into a bowl lined with a paper towel then set aside. Try not to eat it all before you finish the dish.
MAKE SOUP:
Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan. You can eyeball it. A little more won't hurt. It's just more flavor. Save the remaining bacon fat. We'll use that for frying eggs later.
Add the onions and cook over medium heat until they're softened and golden. We want them sweet which should take about 5 -8 minutes. You'll notice as you fry and stir the onions, the fond on the bottom dissolves into the onions. Flavor, flavor, flavor.
Add the minced garlic and sauté until they start to become fragrant.
Add the water, peas, salt, and pepper. You'll adjust for seasonings when it's done before serving.
Bring everything just to a boil then lower to a simmer on low for about an hour or more, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Peas should be softened and falling apart. If you are simmering on low, the consistency should be fine. Otherwise, add more water as needed.
Adjust for seasonings, it may need a bit of kosher salt. Remember you will be adding the egg and bacon bits which will give more salt and flavor.
Stir in the bacon bits into the soup. Remember to reserve some for garnishing the soup. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
FRY THE EGGS:
Add a bit of oil or use the reserved bacon fat to a cast iron or nonstick skillet. Fry the egg and let the edges get crispy. Tilt the pan slightly and spoon a little fat around and over the yolk, if desired, to cook the yolk. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Ladle the split pea soup into a bowl, place a fried egg on top, then sprinkle with some bacon bits. Enjoy.
Notes
1: Have the bacon slightly frozen for ease of chopping.2: Low sodium chicken stock can be used instead of the water or you can use half stock, half water.The soup will thicken as it sits. When heated up, it will loosen slightly again. You can add some water to loosen the consistency.Save any leftover bacon fat in a jar then cover and refrigerate it to use for frying or sautéing.