If using bacon, coarsely chop it into 1 ½”–2” pieces. If using pancetta, guanciale or some sort of fatty ham, cut into cute little ½” pieces. Place whatever pork product you’re using in a medium-large pot and cook over medium heat (not too hot, or else the fat won't properly render). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is crisped and there is a generous pool of fat inside your pot, 6–10 minutes, depending on the size and fattiness of your pork.

Leaving all the fat behind, remove meaty bits with a spoon and set aside on a plate or small bowl. If you’re not using pork, do none of the above and instead drop 2 tablespoons or so of olive oil into your pot.

Add onions and sliced garlic to the fat and season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium–high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, translucent and lightly browned at the edges, 5–7 minutes.

Add rutabaga (or potato/carrots) and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until they are totally tender and cooked through, at which point the onions will have a bit more color on them (a good thing), 8–10 minutes.

Add split peas, broth (or water + Better Than Bouillon) and either a bay leaf or a few sprigs of thyme, if you’ve got it. Yes, a bay leaf does do something to the broth! It is NOT a throwaway herb! I will die on this hill.

Bring to a strong simmer, then reduce to medium-low. Continue to gently simmer until the rutabaga and split peas are so cooked through and tender, they’re practically falling apart, 40–50 minutes. At this stage, I like to use a wooden spoon to gently smash some of the rutabaga and peas against the side of the pot, just to create a slightly thicker/creamier soup. But remember, this is a soup. It is not a stew. It is not a purée. It is a soup. Soup, by (my) definition is brothier, less homogenized and thinner than a stew. Split Pea Soup.

If at this stage you are finding it still too soupy, then feel free to keep simmering until your desired thickness is achieved.

Add the grated garlic, stir and season the soup with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls, top with the crispy pork, some of the parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon.

DO AHEAD: This soup will keep in your fridge for at least 5 days, speaking from personal experience. It also freezes well (minus the toppings, of course).

EAT WITH: This soup wants a grilled cheese, or maybe extra toasted rye bread slathered with butter and a side of teenage vulnerability.