Green Pea Soup (Sopa de Chícharo)

History & Origin

Sopa de chícharo is a simple yet deeply rooted dish in everyday Central Mexican cooking, especially in the Valley of Mexico, Hidalgo, Puebla and Tlaxcala. The green pea (Pisum sativum) was introduced to Mexico during the colonial period by the Spanish, but integrated so naturally into mestizo cuisine that it seems to have always been there. The combination of peas with epazote is one of the most characteristic of central highland cooking. Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides) is a pre-Hispanic aromatic herb with an intense, slightly anise-like and earthy flavour that balances the natural sweetness of peas. This combination also has carminative properties, aiding digestion of legumes - a quality greatly valued in traditional Mexican cooking. In 20th-century Mexican middle-class homes, pea soup formed part of the weekly rotation of pasta, rice and vegetable soups. Mexican mothers and grandmothers prepared it for weekday lunches, taking advantage of frozen peas always being on hand. The simplest version is a broth with whole peas, while the "deluxe" version is blended and strained for a smooth, brilliant green cream. Today, pea soup has experienced a renaissance in contemporary Mexican restaurants, served with epazote oil, tortilla croutons or crumbled fresh cheese.