Hessian Soup is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic soup of beef bones, split peas, vegetables and potatoes flavoured with mace, allspice and cloves that's thickened with breadcrumbs. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Hessian Soup.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
171. INGREDIENTS.—Half an ox's head, 1 pint of split peas, 3 carrots, 6 turnips, 6 potatoes, 6 onions, 1 head of celery, 1 bunch of savoury herbs, pepper and salt to taste, 2 blades of mace, a little allspice, 4 cloves, the crumb of a French roll, 6 quarts of water.
Mode.—Clean the head, rub it with salt and water, and soak it for 5 hours in warm water. Simmer it in the water till tender, put it into a pan and let it cool; skim off all the fat; take out the head, and add the vegetables cut up small, and the peas which have been previously soaked; simmer them without the meat, till they are done enough to pulp through a sieve. Add the seasoning, with pieces of the meat cut up; give one boil, and serve.
Time.—4 hours. Average cost, 6d. per quart.
Seasonable in winter.
Sufficient for 16 persons.
Note.—An excellent hash or ragoût can be made by cutting up the nicest parts of the head, thickening and seasoning more highly a little of the soup, and adding a glass of port wine and 2 tablespoonfuls of ketchup.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1.5kg beef short ribs
350g split peas, soaked over night
3 carrots, scraped and finely chopped
6 turnips, peeled and finely chopped
6 potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
6 onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 head of celery, finely chopped
1 bunch of savoury herbs, finely chopped
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
2 blades of mace
1/4 tsp ground allspice
4 cloves
100g breadcrumbs (from a French roll)
6l water
Method:
Combine the beef and water in a pan, bring to a simmer and cook for about 90 minutes, or until tender. Take off the heat, cover and set aside until cool. Skim any fat from the surface of the liquid, remove the beef short ribs then add the split peas, vegetables and herbs to the liquid.
Return to the hob, bring to a simmer and cook for a further 90 minutes, or until all the ingredients are very tender. Take off the heat, allow to cool slightly then purée in a blender. Pass the resultant purée through a fine-meshed sieve and return the liquid to the stockpot.
Add the seasonings to the soup, remove the meat from the bones then chop and add these to the soup.
Allow to heat through and serve ladled into soup bowls.
