Traditional Swedish Pea Soup Recipe

Although rarely served in fine restaurants and almost never appearing on smorgasbords, soups are essential in traditional Swedish cuisine. One soup in particularrtsoppahas a distinguished history.

Yellow pea soup has sustained the working class since the age of the Vikings. When Catholicism was the reigning religion of Sweden, rtsoppa, which is studded with salt pork, became the meal of choice before Sabbath every week.

Today, although the Catholic Church has few followers in predominantly secular Sweden, the soup is still eaten every Thursday in many households. rtsoppa is always served with mustard; you either swirl a bit of mustard into the soup to season the whole lot or dip the tip of your soupspoon into the spicy condiment before every bite.

Yellow Pea Soup (rtsoppa)

Serves 4 to 6

1 pound whole dried yellow peas (split peas are acceptable)

2 onions, chopped fine

1 whole onion, peeled, halved, and each half stuck with 1 whole clove

1/2 pound piece lean salt pork

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/2 teaspoon thyme

Salt (if needed)

Whole-grain brown mustard

1. Soak the peas in water at least 12 hours.

2. Drain the peas, put them in a large saucepan, cover with 6 cups cold water, chopped onions, and the onion halves with cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a medium simmer. Add the salt pork, cover, and let simmer for about 90 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Add the marjoram and thyme to the pan, stir, and let simmer another 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Remove the pork, allow to cool just until comfortable to handle, then cut into pieces. Remove and discard the onion halves with their cloves.

3. Divide the pork among rimmed bowls, then ladle the soup over it. Pass a bowl of grainy brown mustard at the table.

Enjoy this wonderful Swedish tradition served hot with chunks of bread.

For further tips and ideas for cooking great and traditional food from around the world, visit swedish recipes.

This recipe was submitted by Jen Carter, owner of the World Recipes website.

How To Cook Lamb Soup - Cook Delicious Carrot Lamb Soup (Chinese Cuisine)
This is a very easy recipe on how to cook lamb soup. However, just a gentle reminder that cooking this soup will require at least three hours. Why? Because this is a chinese-style lamb soup. Just some basic backgrounds, chinese soup basically requires you to cook the soup a little bit longer as contrary to normal western soup. This is because the c...

6 Tasty Low Fat Soup Recipes For Cholesterol Patients
Among low cholesterol recipes, soups that are low in fat happen to be very popular. Folks with high cholesterol love to have these soups as they are really tasty. These soup recipes provide a balanced and fat free food and could be of great assistance in dietary control for high cholesterol afflicted folks.These soups to some extent also contribute...

Traditional Italian Minestrone Soup
Traditional Italian Minestrone Soup lb dried cranberry beans 2 quarts of water lb fresh green beans, broken into halves 3 oz diced salt pork lb peeled and diced potatoes 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil lb peeled and diced onions 12 oz can diced tomatoes, or 1 cup peeled and diced fresh ripe tomatoes 2 mashed cloves of garlic tsp fresh g...

Spanish Food - How To Make Spicy Gazpacho Soup.
Home-made soups are so good for you - all that nourishing stock and chock-a-block full of vitamins and minerals.But ... who on earth could face boiling bones for hours on end during the scorching Spanish summer weather, not to mention preparing the soup once the stock is made? I dont think it would tickle anybodys fancy to then have to tuc...

Wild Rice Soup
Maybe you have heard of it and maybe you have made it. I have tasted it and my opinion is that it tastes just like a bunch of store bought soup mixed together with wild rice. Not too bad but I know how to make real wild rice soup and it tastes different. My opinion, of course.First of all I do not like potatoes in my wild rice soup. It is potato so...

Advantages of Using Dehydrated Vegetables
I try to keep my pantry stocked with canned food, my refrigerator stocked with fresh food and my freezer stocked with frozen food. I also keep a supply of dehydrated foods on hand. I like dried onions because they are easy to add to soups and stews and they will take the place of fresh onions if I do not have any. Sometimes I do not want to use a w...

Soup: Simple, Frugal and Filling Fare!
Soup making isnt complicated, and it is a great simple, frugal, and filling meal, especially if you combine it with homemade bread (yes, Ive included an easy homemade bread recipe as well)! There are some basics to soup making. The most important thing to remember is to relax and experiment!Soup is basically a liquid base and fillers.Bases:-Store-b...