Pea and ham soup has been a favourite of mine since childhood. So I was pleasantly surprised to find it also popular in certain parts of Spain.

The Spanish take on this warming soup incorporates Jamon Serrano, as I came to find out when I was served a particularly sumptuous version in Bubion, high up in the La Alpujarra mountains. Jamon Serrano is not always to the initial liking of those brought up, as I was, on York ham. It is an acquired taste but, at its best, is wonderful and can be used in many dishes. Now, the ham can already be quite salty, so do not make the mistake of adding too much salt to a dish where it is used. Tasting as you go along is important when cooking many Spanish meals, but never more so than when using ingredients which are themselves naturally salty.

Ingredients

  • 500 grams of podded peas, fresh or frozen
  • 150 grams of jamon serrano, finely chopped
  • 4 tablespoons of olive oil
  • half a medium-sized onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium-sized carrot, finely chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 small bunch of fresh mint, roughly chopped
  • 1 litre of chicken stock
  • sea salt
  • black pepper

Preparation

  1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over a medium heat.
  2. Add the onion and when it has turned golden, add the carrot and bay leaves. Continue to fry for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the garlic, two thirds of the jamon and half the mint. Stir well and fry for a further minute.
  4. Add the peas. Cook for a couple of minutes before adding the stock. Simmer gently until the peas are tender, which should take 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  5. Ladle the peas and stock into a food processor or liquidiser and process until smooth.
  6. Return to the pan and season with salt and pepper (not too much salt) and add the remaining mint.
  7. Serve with the rest of the jamon on top and an extra drizzle of olive oil.