Ärtsoppa med Senapsfläsk – Swedish Yellow Pea Soup with Mustard-Glazed Pork

⏱ 150 min · Serves 6

Thursday in Sweden means ärtsoppa: a thick, thyme-scented yellow pea soup that tastes of long winters and warm kitchens. Here it's served the traditional way, with a piece of salted pork simmered in the pot then lacquered with sweet-sharp mustard and roasted until glossy. Punchy Swedish mustard on the side is non-negotiable.

Per serving: 612 kcal · 45.0g protein · 58.0g carbs · 22.0g fat

Ingredients

• 500g dried yellow split peas
• 800g lightly salted pork shoulder or thick-cut smoked bacon joint, in one piece
• 2 litres water
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 leek, sliced
• 2 tsp dried thyme (or 4 fresh sprigs)
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp whole allspice berries
• Salt and white pepper
• 3 tbsp Swedish sweet mustard (or Dijon plus 1 tsp honey)
• 1 tbsp coarse-grain mustard
• 2 tbsp golden syrup or light brown sugar
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• Extra strong mustard, to serve
• Chopped fresh marjoram or parsley, to garnish

Method

1. Rinse the split peas well, then put them in a large pot with the 2 litres of water. Bring to the boil and skim off any foam.
2. Add the pork piece, onion, carrots, leek, thyme, marjoram, bay leaves and allspice. Reduce to a gentle simmer, lid ajar.
3. Simmer 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, stirring now and then and scraping the base so the peas don't catch, until the peas have collapsed into a thick soup and the pork is tender.
4. Lift out the pork and set it on a small roasting tray. Heat the oven to 200°C fan.
5. Whisk the sweet mustard, coarse-grain mustard, syrup and vinegar together. Brush generously all over the pork.
6. Roast the pork for 15–20 minutes, basting once with any remaining glaze, until deep gold and sticky. Rest 5 minutes, then carve into thick slices.
7. Meanwhile, fish out the bay leaves and most of the allspice from the soup. Season with salt and plenty of white pepper; loosen with a splash of hot water if it's thicker than you like. For a smoother soup, blitz half with a stick blender.
8. Ladle into deep bowls, scatter with marjoram, and serve the mustard pork alongside with a pot of strong mustard for spooning straight into the soup.