‘Habitant’ is a French Canadian slang word denoting a down-to-earth, close-to-the-earth traditional Quebecer. It’s also the name of the Canadian brand that brought luscious, creamy French Canadian Split Pea Soup to the world.
“Habitant soups have been made using traditional homemade recipes since 1918. Their comforting flavour has become a kitchen pantry staple for many Canadians because we use just the right amount of seasoning. Habitant soups are ready-to-serve, so just open a can, heat, and savour the flavour only tradition can make.”
If that spiel from the official Habitant website doesn’t make you want to run out and buy a few cans, I don’t know what would. Except maybe your first taste of any of the exclusive Habitant recipes…
It’s true. They’ve been a fixture on Canadian menus for more than 100 years. And their popularity shows no signs of waning. Because there’s nothing else like them. For a genuine Split Pea Soup connoisseur – like me – the Habitant product defines the dish. And that’s probably because the Habitant version is the first one we ever tasted, probably for lunch at Grandma’s house – again like me…
But there is one way to get great Split Pea Soup without resorting to a can. And that’s to make it yourself.
A great recipe…
I searched many recipes online before I came up with one that checked all the boxes for me. And I settled on one from Seasons & Suppers, which actually pays homage to the Habitant classic.
“This soup features [dried] split yellow peas, together with vegetables and spices and a ham hock or bone,” author says. “The long simmer infuses such great flavour in the soup. This is a great soup to enjoy throughout the year, but is especially handy as a use for your left-over Christmas or Easter ham bone.”
The ingredients list calls for the traditional roster, including a ham bone – either regular or smoked, as availability and your taste dictate. As befits a dish with rural, down-t0-earth roots, most of the ingredients are probably already in your pantry. If I was making it this afternoon, I’d only need to go out to the store for a bag of dried Split Peas and the Chicken Broth!
Tips and tickles…
DO refer to our post on soaking your peas and beans with baking soda when prepping the peas. This is recipe is a perfect application for maximizing the tenderness of your legumes.
DO cheat just a little (as sanctioned by Maloney), and give the finished soup a whizz in the blender before serving. It’ll make all the difference when unveiling a professional presentation…. Unless you consider a slightly lumpy texture a sign of authenticity!
DO simmer the soup for at least as long as Maloney recommends. It just gets better…
My take
This great soup can be the preamble to a grand meal, a hearty lunch, or a standalone family supper when festooned with cubes of the leftover meat from the ham bone. And you can add extra medium-diced veggies over and above the Mirepoix (carrots, onion and celery) called for in the basic recipe. Colourful choices such as bell pepper can add a lot to the visual appeal of Split Pea Soup!
Enjoy, mes chers amis!
~ Maggie J.