Yellow Split Pea Soup with Frankfurters

It’s cold. You cannot understand why your boy wants to play football. You want to curl up under the duvet while he wants to run around in shorts. It’s lovely when he comes home in shorts but you will need to warm him up.

An onion

A carrot

2 cloves garlic

A stick of celery

2 tbsp oil

½ tsp ground mace

500g yellow split peas

2 bay leaves

1.5 litres veg or chicken stock

2 bay leaves

400g Frankfurters

Mild German or American mustard

A note on the frankfurters first. You can go two ways with this – either cut Herta size Franks into 3cm  pieces or get a really thick version like Matteson’s Smoked, which you cut into thick coins. Whatever brand you use please check the ingredients list for the initials MRM or MSM. Reject if you find it. You don’t want to know how they make it but you really don’t want your boy eating it. Sadly frankfurters are a typical destination for it! It comes up surprisingly often but do persist. You will find decent ones.

So, chop the veg finely, and fry off slowly. You want to soften them rather than brown them so a slow heat please. Add the mace and stir it in.

Add the split peas and just let them get glossy with the oil and then pour in the stock and pop in the bay leaves. Bring to the boil, and then simmer for about an hour, covered. It should all break down.

Kiss your boy hello, when he comes in and ask him if he won and congratulate/commiserate as appropriate. Push him into the shower.

Use a wand blender to thicken the soup to your taste. I think it should be soupy (thin liquid with lumps) not porridge-like so add more stock if needed. It might need more than you think. Check for seasoning.

Add the franks and warm through. Serve in deep bowls making sure he gets plenty of frankfurter pieces. Have a small bowl of mild mustard on hand, so he can dip each piece of sausage if he wants. A similar bowl of Tabsaco or Frank’s Hot Sauce would be a good alternative if he likes it. Or do both! He’ll be steamy from the shower. This will warm him through from the inside. He’ll be yours for the afternoon, even if you just want to play Cluedo. It would be even better if it rains.