Hernesupp — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A thick, warming Estonian split pea soup enriched with smoked chicken, root vegetables, and a hint of marjoram.

Ingredients

1 Drain soaked peas and place in a large pot with water and smoked chicken leg. Bring to a boil, skim foam.
2 Add onion, carrots, celery, marjoram, and bay leaves. Reduce heat and simmer 1.5 hours until peas are completely soft.
3 Remove chicken leg, shred the meat, discard skin and bone.
4 Blend half the soup for a creamy texture, or mash with a potato masher. Return shredded chicken to pot.
5 Season with salt and pepper. The soup should be thick and hearty.
6 Serve hot with croutons and dark rye bread on the side.

Did You Know?

Estonians traditionally eat pea soup on Shrove Tuesday (Vastlapäev), followed by sweet cream buns — a tradition shared with their Finnish neighbors.