Ingredients – serves 8

For the split pea soup:

• 500 g green split peas
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 2 l chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 300 g smoked sausage
• 300 g fresh peas (or frozen)
• black pepper
• salt

For the croutons:

• 3 slices of firm white bread
• 1 tablespoon butter

Method

Make the soup:

• Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the shallots until softened, but not coloured.
• Tip in the split peas and stir to coat in the oil, then pour over the chicken stock.
• Chop 50 g of the smoked sausage into small pieces and add to the soup.
• Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer for 35 minutes until the split peas are softened.
• Remove from the heat and blend until smooth.
• Cut the remaining sausage into thick slices and stir into the soup.
• Tip in the fresh (or frozen) peas, season with plenty of black pepper and a little salt and bring back to the boil for 5 minutes.

Make the croutons:

• Cut the slices of bread into long strips.
• Melt the butter on a medium high heat in a large pan
• Add the strips of bread and turn them in the butter so they get lightly coated.
• Spread the croutons out in a single layer in the pan.
• Once they start to brown, lift them up and turn them over to brown the other sides.
• Remove from the heat and serve with the soup.