Book of Days Tales

Today is the birthday of Gregor Mendel, founder of the study of genetics. He is world renowned for his experiments with growing peas in the garden of St. Thomas’ Abbey in Brünn (Brno), Margraviate of Moravia, and subsequently proposing laws of inheritance which were correct but ignored for 50 years until biologists figured out how Mendel’s and Darwin’s work linked up. A Czech/German pea soup recipe is called for. This recipe requires whole dried peas rather than splits. They are hard to find and require longer cooking than splits, but the results are well worth the effort. This soup is quite meaty so can make a hearty lunch.

Ingredients

    1 ½ cups (300 grams) dried peas

    4 ounces (100 grams) Bauchspeck, or bacon

    3 smoked pork chops, or German Mettwürstchen, smoked sausages

    3 onions, peeled and chopped

    1 leek, cleaned and sliced

    ½  celeriac root, diced

    5 bay leaves

    salt

    crispy bacon bits or croutons, for garnish

Instructions

Soak the whole peas in water overnight.

Use a large, heavy bottomed pan to make the soup. Chop the speck/bacon into small pieces and render it over medium-low heat in the pan.

Drain the soaked peas and add them to the pan with 4 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil.

Trim and cube the pork chops and/or slice the sausages — whatever you choose.  Add to the pot  with the onions, leek, and celeriac. Salt to taste.

Cover and simmer for about 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure the soup is not too dry and adding water if needed – stirring now and again.  The soup is ready when the peas are fully cooked but have not lost their shape.

Serve in warmed bowls and garnish with bacon bits or croutons. Place some vinegar on the table – malt or balsamic – for diners to splash in if they wish.

Offer a toast to Mendel with Moravian pilsner.