Sort of Snert

Snert - or Erwtensoep: Dutch pea soup you can stand a spoon in.

Every country has a version of pea soup: something thick and warming based on dried legumes or pulses. I became addicted to Snert in the Netherlands. When the winter is deep and the ice is thick, what better way to warm up after a walk along the canals? Or, as is the way, after a bit of skating on a frozen canal?

It's "Sort of Snert" because, where I'm using pork belly, [one of the many] traditional recipes use pork chops with the bones; these are removed later in the process, boned and shredded then popped back in. Rookworst is the sausage, but it just means smoked sausage, so I stand by that!

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INGREDIENTS

dried split peas (about 300g)

potato

onion

bacon

pork belly

leek

celeriac

carrots

smoked sausage

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Watch the video

METHOD

• Scrub/wash/peel/trim your veg and cut into 1cm pieces - roughly, we won't be measuring them... You'll only need about a quarter of a celeriac bulb

• Slice up the pork belly (if you're using a chop, leave it whole - bone in)

• Rinse the peas - there is no need to soak them overnight, but if you do it reduces the cooking time a fair bit. However, for me, the longer it's cooking, the deeper the flavour

• Pork, peas and bacon in a pot with about 2.5L of water

• Bring to the boil then simmer. You will need to be on scum-skimming duties, which is the thing the kids will fight over...

• After about 10 minutes, add all the veg, some salt and pepper, and simmer for 3 to 4 hours (2 hours if you soaked the peas overnight, but you know my thoughts on that)

• Check every so often to make sure it's not sticking (which it will)

• It's ready when you can stand a spoon in it!

• Add the sliced smoked sausage and stir it through. This is the time you'd bone your pork chop and shred/slice the meat back into the snert

#lockdownrecipes #lockdowncooking #soup #dutchrecipes #dinnertime #snert #erwtensoep