Pressure Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup – with a Spanish Twist

This is a great, quick  self-care recipe for low energy days because:

1. with a pressure cooker, it takes just long enough to wash up what’s in the sink (about 15 minutes)
2. Split peas are cheap and last a long time in a cupboard, as do potatoes
3. It uses 5 ingredients (excluding oil for frying first). but could be made with just 2 ingredients.
4. It tastes great, is very filling, but easy to digest

We got our split peas from a store nearby called Pepito y Grano, which stocks every lentil an grain imaginable – including teff! It also stocks many gluten-free types of pasta, including ones made from lentils and chickpeas. If you love cooking outside traditional Spanish food in Madrid, it’s a must-visit.

Ingredients:

1. Half a cup of split peas. I rinsed these and left them to soak for an hour. Longer in colder weather will help their digestibility.
2.  Half a white onion, chopped.
3. 1 small potato, peeled and cubed.
4. A pack of diced ham. We used a pack of diced serrano, which is sold in Carrefour all over Madrid.
5. Ham stock, liquid. I could have skipped ingredients 2, 3 and 4, and just used this for a more “budget” or “no grocery shop” version, since it already includes them. We loved the way it tasted and the texture of this version, though.

Bonus Points:

I added about a teaspoon of dried mint to give this a little kick. It doesn’t taste like toothpaste, it just balances the ham taste out and makes a hot soup feel more “right” in the summertime.

Steps:

1. Fry the onions in a little oil, until soft and add the potato
2. Drain the split peas and add to the pan, stirring to avoid having them stick
3. Add the diced ham/Serrano and then add half the stock (about 300 ml)
4. Bring to pressure and eave for 15 minutes. Then let it release pressure naturally.
5. Use a slotted spoon to mash the peas a little bit. You could use a handheld blender, but the mix of smooth and chunky is a feature.
6. Enjoy!

 

I didn’t take any pics because this was one of those recipes that came about from needing something easy and quick to cook and we were too hungry to fuss with photos.