Split Pea Soup

Hearty, warm, comforting and delicious,

perfect for a cold winter day!

   When I grew up, Sundays were always days for special meals.  After going to church as a family, we would come home and make a delicious brunch.   Fresh squeezed orange juice, from the orange tree in our yard.  Eggs of some fashion whether baked as a quiche, or stove top as scrambled, omelets or fried, and of course bacon or sausage.  Toast was always slathered with lots of butter and my mom's homemade jam. 

 To finish off the meal we had some type of muffin, danish or homemade sweet roll. My father would take this with a second cup of hot coffee and go sit in the living room and read the Sunday paper.

The kids would clean up the kitchen and my mom would start to prepare our evening meal.  Usually a big roast or ham.   

If she prepared a large ham, there was sure to be split pea soup on the menu later in the week for dinner.

 Growing up this was one of my favorite soups!

After the ham had been sliced and eaten, and the crisp fatty skin had been fought over (with 6 kids, everyone wants a bit of the rind) the large flavorful bone went into the stock pot, with the dried split peas and cooked all day, filling the house with the most amazing aroma!

The results of cooking split pea soup with a ham bone, gives the most wonderful flavor to the soup.  If you don't have a ham bone, you can still achieve delicious split pea soup, using other pork products.  Give it a try and I think you will be delighted with the results.

As Always,

ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS

1- 16 oz. bag of dried split peas

1/4 onion chopped

3 carrots chopped

3 celery ribs chopped

1/2 cup bacon ends, chopped(Trader Joe's sells this product)

       or ham hock or pork belly

8 cups water

salt to taste

16 oz. ham steak, cut into cubes

1/2 tsp. thyme

3 bay leaves

crusty bread or croutons for serving

In a heavy pot begin to brown chopped bacon ends. Cook slowly for fats to render out into pan.  Add onion, carrots and celery to a food processor.  Chop into small pieces.  Add to cooking bacon.  Saute a few minutes until softened.  Add thyme, bay leaf, split peas and water and salt.  Bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until peas have softened and blended into broth. Add cubed ham and simmer for another 15 minutes.  Add more salt if needed.  Serve hot with bread or croutons.

note:  For a more pea like taste, put one bag of defrosted frozen peas into food processor and puree.  Add to the soup stock at the same time you add the ham.