Dutch pea soup (Snert)

SNERT! It won't get more Dutch than this. Hardy, thick pea soup with meat, sausage and different kinds of vegetables. It takes a little more time than most soups, but it's really worth it. A perfect meal to prep on a lazy Saturday or Sunday and enjoy in the evening without too much fuzz.

You have to soak the split peas the night before, but next to that there's no prep needed.

Ingredients (6-8p):

• 500 gram dehydrated split peas • 300 gram bacon • 1 cow shank (about 300 gram) • 1 smoked sausage (rookworst) • 1 onion • 1 leek • 300 gram chopped up carrots • 1 bunch leaf celery • 300 gram canned white beans • 3 large or 4 small potatoes • 4 bay leaves • 2 liter beef stock •

1. The night before you want to make the soup, soak your dehydrated split peas in a large bowl with enough cold water. They will triple in size, so keep that in mind.

2. The next day, drain the peas and rinse them with cold water. Set aside while you cut the vegetables.

3. Get a large pan and start with frying the bacon with some black pepper in a tiny bit of oil to get it started. Once the bacon is cooked and golden, take it out and set aside. Use the fat sear the shank (whole). As soon as this is cooked, take out as well and set aside. Finally use the fat with a little bit of extra oil if needed, to saute your onions (roughly chopped).

4. As soon as the onion starts to brown, add in the beef stock, the peas, whole shank, white beans, leek (thinly sliced and we'll washed) and bay leaves. Cook this for 1 hour on medium high heat while stirring ones in a while. The peas and beans will break apart and the soup will get slightly thicker.

5. After the first hour, take out the shank. Remove to bone and cut the meat into small pieces. Add the meat back into the soup.

6. Add in the carrots and potatoes (bite size cubes) together with the bacon and the smoked sausage sliced into thin slices. Chop the celery leaves and add as well. Give this whole thing another 30 minutes on medium low heat. Stir often, to prevent it from burning on the bottom. As soon as the soup is thick and the potatoes are cooked, you're good to go!

Enjoy!