Dutch Split Pea Soup

Rinse the split peas under cold running water until the water runs clear. Cut the bacon into cubes about 1 cm, the smoked sausage into rounds 1 cm thick, dice the onion finely, cube the carrot, slice the celery thinly, and cut the leek lengthwise, rinsing thoroughly between the layers to remove any sand, then slice into half-moons.

In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, fry the bacon for 3 minutes until it releases its fat, then add the onion, carrot, celery and leek and sauté, stirring, for 5 minutes until the vegetables soften.

Add the rinsed split peas, pour in 2.3 L of cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off the foam thoroughly with a slotted spoon, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 1 hour 40 minutes, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon to prevent the peas from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Add the diced potatoes and the sliced smoked sausage, and cook for another 25 minutes over low heat, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender and the peas have completely broken down.

Mash some of the peas and vegetables right in the pot with a wooden spoon (or blitz briefly with an immersion blender) until the soup thickens to a creamy consistency, leaving some chunks for texture: the finished soup should be thick enough for a spoon to stand upright in it.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste, remove from the heat, and let the soup rest, covered, for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Serve hot in deep bowls, garnished with slices of smoked sausage on top; traditionally, this soup tastes even better when reheated the next day.