Parks Canada Heritage Gourmet Recipes

Fort Chambly Pea Soup

This recipe is prepared at Fort Chambly National Historic Site each time a group of re-enactors holds a military encampment representing the French period (1665-1760).

Origin: Fort Chambly National Historic Site
Region: Quebec
Period: Traditional
Course: Soups and Starters

From what we know, in the 1750s French colonial soldiers received as a ration bread (1 ½ lb), lard (4 oz) and dried peas (4 oz). We have deduced that what soldiers usually ate must have resembled pea soup!

Fort Chambly Pea Soup

Ingredients:

• 6 ⅓ cups | 1.5 litres of water
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 lb | 500 g of yellow or green dried splt peas (preferably soaked overnight)
• ½ lb | 250 g of salted lard, diced
• 4 tsp | 20 g of dried herbs (parsley, thyme, chervil, savoury, sage, sorrel)
• 1 tsp | 5 g salt
• 2 tsp | 10 g pepper

Directions:

• Render the lard over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the chopped onion; let cook for a few minutes. Add the peas and mix well. Finally, add the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and let simmer for a good two hours.
• Half an hour before serving, add the herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Credits:

Recipe tested by Chef David Fairbanks, Algonquin College School of Hospitality and Tourism

This soup is a simplified version of a recipe found in the book Jardins et potagers en Nouvelle-France – Joie de vivre et patrimoine culinaire (p.170-171), Martin Fournier (author), published by Septentrion, 2004, ISBN 2-89448-385-6