Snert

A classic, hearty pea soup as it has been made in the Netherlands for generations. Simmering a pig’s trotter with it gives the soup extra body and a full, rounded flavour. Ideally, make the soup a day in advance so the flavours can develop fully.

Serves: 6–8
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 3–4 hours
Total time: ± 3½ hours

Ingredients

For 4 people

Base

• 500 g green dried split peas
• 2.5 litres water
• 1 pig’s trotter (unsalted, split)
• 500 g pork ribs or riblets
• 150–200 g streaky bacon (piece, not sliced)
• 2 bay leaves
• 5–8 black peppercorns
• 1 large onion
• 2–3 leeks
• 2 carrots
• ½ celeriac (± 300–400 g)
• 1 smoked sausage (± 250–300 g)

Optional

• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 celery stick

Finishing

• 1 bunch celery leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• Rinse the split peas in a sieve under cold running water until the water is mostly clear.
• Briefly rinse the pig’s trotter under cold water.
• Peel the onion and finely chop.
• Clean the carrots and slice.
• Peel the celeriac and cut into small cubes.
• Clean the leeks and slice into rings.
• (Optional) Slice the celery into small crescents.
• Roughly chop the celery leaves and set aside for the end.

Cooking

1. Start the meat stock base
   Put the split peas, water, pig’s trotter, pork ribs or riblets, the piece of bacon, bay leaves and peppercorns into a large soup pot. Add thyme if using and slowly bring to the boil.
2. Skim off the foam
   During the first 10–15 minutes, foam will form. Carefully skim it off with a slotted spoon.
3. Let the soup simmer gently for a long time
   Turn the heat down low and let the soup bubble very gently with the lid half on the pot. Simmer for at least 2 hours, preferably 2½ hours, and stir regularly along the bottom to prevent sticking. The pig’s trotter now provides natural thickening.
4. Add the first vegetables
   Add the onion, carrot, celeriac and, if using, celery. Let simmer gently for about 30 minutes more.
5. Add the leeks
   Add the leeks and let simmer for another 20–30 minutes until the split peas have completely broken down and the soup has clearly thickened. Keep stirring regularly.
6. Remove the meat from the pot
   Remove the pig’s trotter, the ribs and the bacon from the pot.
7. Prepare the meat and return it to the pot
   Cut the meat off the ribs. From the pig’s trotter, cut the tender meat and the skin into small pieces, carefully remove any small bones and note: the skin and connective tissue are precisely what add flavour. Cut the bacon into cubes and return everything to the pot. Remove the bay leaves, thyme and as many peppercorns as possible.
8. Warm the smoked sausage in the soup
   Place the smoked sausage in the hot, but no longer boiling, soup and let it warm gently for 15–20 minutes. Slice and return to the soup or serve separately.
9. Finish the soup
   Stir the chopped celery leaves through the soup. Taste and season with pepper and, if needed, salt (bear in mind the saltiness of the bacon and sausage).
10. Let the soup rest
    Let the soup cool completely and refrigerate, covered, overnight. The next day the snert is thicker, fuller and better bound.
11. Reheat the soup slowly
    Reheat slowly over a low heat and stir regularly. Is the soup too thick? Add water little by little.
12. Serve the snert
    Serve in deep bowls with slices of smoked sausage, rye bread and, if desired, katenspek.