Shared by Samantha Frank Wengrofsky
Shared by Samantha Frank Wengrofsky
A Split Pea and Flanken Soup for Cozy Nights in the Sukkah
Yield: 8-10 servingsTime: 2 H 30 Mins
A Split Pea and Flanken Soup for Cozy Nights in the Sukkah
Yield: 8-10 servingsTime: 2 H 30 MinsFamily Journey
New York CityLong IslandChicago
Englewood, NJ
Most of Samantha Frank Wengrofsky’s family on her mother’s side lived within a three block radius when she was growing up in Lincolnwood, a suburb of Chicago. Everyone attended the same synagogue and holidays are celebrated as a family unit — one night at Bubby Darryle’s house, the next at an aunt’s home or her parents’ house. “We all switched off,” she says.
Each fall, they hopped from sukkah to sukkah for meals of brisket with prunes and dried apricots, stuffed cabbage, and warm bowls of soup. It was often her Bubby’s split pea soup with flanken, a cut of beef short ribs that’s common in Ashkenazi cooking. Each relative from her Bubby to aunts and her mother has their own spin: some like it chunky, others smooth, and one aunt even adds cut up hot dogs.
Now a private chef, Samantha likes to add lots of vegetables and puree the soup until it’s smooth before adding the shredded beef back in. Her original recipe uses Manischewitz split pea soup mix, but a 1 pound of dried green split peas also works well.
Cooking notes: Look for bone-in flanken or ask your butcher to cut short ribs “flanken style” — about ½ inch thick, across the bone.
Ingredients
- 1½-2½ pounds bone-in flanken
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large Spanish onion, chopped
- 2-3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2-3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1½ cups frozen green peas
- 3 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 1 pound dried green split peas (or 1 pack Manischewitz split pea soup mix)
- 8-10 cups chicken or beef broth
Preparation
Step 1
Rub the flanken with avocado oil and season generously with 1½ teaspoons salt and plenty of black pepper.
Step 2
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, sear the flanken until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the flanken and set aside. Leave the rendered fat in the pot.
Step 3
Add the chopped onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and celery, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until slightly softened.
Step 4
Stir in the frozen peas and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the potatoes and dill, sautéing for another 3-4 minutes. Season lightly with more salt.
Step 5
Stir in the dried split peas (or split pea soup mix). Pour in enough broth to fully cover all the ingredients, about 8-10 cups.
Step 6
Return the flanken to the pot, making sure it’s fully submerged. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally and skimming any foam or excess fat from the surface as necessary, until the flanken is tender and the peas have broken down, about 1½-2 hours.
Step 7
Remove the flanken to a plate and let it cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Step 8
Use an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth, or leave it slightly chunky if preferred.
Step 9
Remove the meat from the bones and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded meat to the pot and stir to combine.
Step 10
Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Let the soup sit off the heat for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
