Recipe of the week: pea and ham soup (London Particular)

This traditional pea and ham soup is known as “London Particular”, after the dense smogs that shrouded the city in the 19th and early 20th century, says Ben Mervis.

The thickest and most noxious of these were called “pea-soupers”, and had a yellow-green hue.

Serves six people

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Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 8-12 hours soaking

Cook time: 2½ hours

Ingredients

• 500g yellow split peas
• 50g butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 ham hock
• Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• salt and pepper
• crusty bread, to serve

Method

• Put the yellow split peas into a large bowl, cover with water and leave to soak overnight.
• The next day, drain the split peas and set aside. Melt the butter in a large saucepan or stockpot over a medium heat, add the onion and fry for 10-15 minutes until softened. Add the carrot and cook for another 10 minutes, then add the yellow split peas and ham.
• Pour in enough water to cover, about 2.5 litres/85fl oz (10 cups) and slowly bring to a simmer over a low-medium heat.
• Cook for 2 hours, skimming off any scum that rises to the top with a slotted spoon until the ham is soft and can be pulled from the bone easily.
• Remove the ham from the pan using a slotted spoon, put it onto a chopping board and leave to cool down a little.
• When it has cooled enough to handle, strip it of its meat and return the meat to the pan. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Serve in bowls with crusty bread

Taken from The British Cookbook: authentic home cooking recipes from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland by Ben Mervis, published by Phaidon at £39.95. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £31.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.