Last week we learned the sad news that Cockney rockers Chas ‘n’ Dave have split up. As an homage to these perennial crowd pleasers I’ve decided to move the blog down to London, figuratively speaking, for a bit of Tommy Tucker (slang for supper). But it’s not jellied eels, pie and mash or even rabbit that caught my attention on this day, but ‘London Particular,’ or pea soup.

A ‘pea-souper’ is an expression that came to refer to the recurrent, smoke-laden fog (or smog) that affected London for hundreds of years right up until the latter half of the 20th century. Lasting for days on end, the smog was a combination of smoke from coal burning in the densely populated city with the frequent fog that time and again brought a noxious, yellow cloud down across the capital. Smog is not something unique to London, but these were, “a London particular,” and, while adding an air of mystery and suspense in Basil Rathbone movies, were morbidly treacherous.

Smog had caused many fatalities in London over the years, especially during the modern industrial era, but culminated with what became known as ‘The Great Smog of 1952.’ A bitterly cold day in December saw tens of thousands of London homes billowing smoke from their coal fires to stave off near freezing temperatures, but weather conditions conspired to keep the smog hanging over the city for 4 incessant days and nights. Fatalities due to smog-related respiratory failure at the height of the event were estimated at 4075 people, but the number of premature deaths owing to the Great Smog is now believed to be many thousands more. Quite staggering numbers when you consider this was not even 60 years ago. The tragedy sparked legislation to improve air quality throughout the city and eventually the last was seen of the London smog.

Of course this, “death-dealing genie,” (Samuel Johnson’s ‘The Idler’) wasn’t enough to quell the black humour of the British. The name ‘London Particular’ was taken by a recipe for yellow split pea soup because of its resemblance to the thick, yellow smog, and still popular in London restaurants to this day.

London Particular is a soup made from yellow split peas in a ham (or bacon) stock. I’ve gone for a smoked ham hock (or hough as it’s known where I am) which gives a deliciously rich, smoky flavour. I’m sure the irony of using smoked meat doesn’t escape either. London Particular doesn’t really differ from any other pea and ham soup, but very fitting that it be adopted and named by a city that knows all there is to know about pea-soupers. Here’s the recipe…

• For London Particular
• 400g dried split yellow peas
• 1 smoked ham hock (about a kilo, mine was 900g)
• 2 ltrs chicken stock
• 4 carrots
• 1 leek
• 1 onion
• 1 bunch of thyme
• 1 bay leaf

Soak the dried yellow split peas in water overnight, then on the day of making chop 2 of the carrots, the leek and the onion and soften them in a little oil in a stockpot with the thyme and bay. Add the smoked ham hock and cover with the chicken stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 2 hours, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. After this time, remove the cooked ham hock and set aside to cool, strain the stock into a clean pan and put it back on the heat. Discard the stock vegetables.

Chop the remaining 2 carrots into a small dice and add them to the stock with the yellow split peas. Season with white pepper (no salt at this stage) and simmer for about 20 minutes until both the carrots and peas are cooked through. Here you can decide how you want the finished soup. Either liquidise the whole batch as I’ve done above or set aside half of the vegetables before liquidising and return them afterwards for a chunkier soup.

Check the seasoning and add a little salt if it’s needed. Tear the flesh from the cooked ham hock and add this back to the soup. Or you can use it as a fancy-pants garnish with chopped parsley and a drizzle of cold-pressed rapeseed oil.

Serve with some good crusty bread and your favourite Chas ‘n’ Dave LP on the record player. Happy retirement Dave Peacock.

GDave