Swedish Pea Soup with pancakes

In New Orleans, Monday became the day to do the wash, and out of that tradition came the famous Red Beans and Rice.  In most homes throughout the New Orleans area, I’m sure you’ll find a pot of it cooking every Monday even though that day may no longer hold the custume of doing the laundry.

In Sweden, back in 1577, King Eric XIV was imprisoned.  He was wanted dead.  It’s said, on a Thursday, the King was given a bowl of pea soup.  The bowl of pea soup was laced with poison.  He died.  According to Wikipedias page on King Eric XIV:

Eric XIV was held as a prisoner in many different castles in both Sweden and Finland. He died in prison in Örbyhus Castle: according to folklore, his final meal was a poisoned bowl of pea soup. A document signed by his brother, John III of Sweden, and a nobleman, Bengt Bengtsson Gylta (1514–74), gave Eric’s guards in his last prison authorization to poison him if anyone tried to release him. His body was later exhumed and modern forensic analysis revealed evidence of lethal arsenic poisoning.

From that event, the people ate bowls of pea soup in his honor on Thursdays, and it has become a tradition in Sweden.  To this day, on a Thursday in most Swedish homes, you’ll find a pot of pea soup cooking.  That may not be the real reason, but it does make for good folklore.

The Swedish pea soup is usually eaten with some form of pork or sausage.  The pancake is the dessert.  With the Swedish pancake thin, on the inside I spread peanut butter and ligonberries (a Swedish berry similar to a cranberry, you can order it online or find jars at a nearby IKEA) and fold the pancake up like a burritos.  I top then top it with syrup.  Another favorite way is without the peanut butter, but adding cream cheese instead.  I grew up on Swedish pancakes and I still make them quite a bit.  Below is my mom’s simple recipe for the pancakes.

Cultures have traditional meals at different times on different days for different reasons.  This is Sweden’s.

SWEDISH PEA SOUP

Ingredients:

• 2 cups split peas
• 8 cups water
• 2-3 ham hocks or ham bones
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1/2 pound slivered ham
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ginger

SWEDISH PANCAKE

Ingredients:

With the pancake open, spread toppings inside, like peanut butter or cream cheese along with Swedens famous jam – ligonberry jam! Then fold it up and top with syrup or whipped cream.

• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 3 tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp sugar
• Peanut butter, syrup, ligonberry jam, cream cheese, whipped cream, what ever your favorite pancake topping is

Mix all the ingredients together.  Pour a 1/3 cup scooping in a buttered pan.  When the mixture begins to bubble, flip.  Each pancake will take about a minute to cook.  This recipe will make about 12 pancakes.

FOR THE PEA SOUP…

Rinse pea and discard the bad ones.

In a large pot, bring the 8 cups of water to a boil.  Add all the ingredients to the pot.  Lower heat and simmer for 3 hours.  Stir occasionally.

Once finished, remove ham hock/bone, and discard.

Serve with Wasa Bread, a crisp rye bread, or with regular crackers.  Pancakes are served with the soup.  Enjoy a nice Swedish traditional meal.