When it comes to warming winter comfort food that goes a long way, you can’t beat a fresh pot of pea and ham soup on a chilly day.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of dried green split peas
- 500-750g smoked ham hock or meaty ham bone
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced with a garlic crusher or the back of a knife
- 8 cups of chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small potatoes, sliced in half
- Freshly chopped parsley to garnish and crusty bread to serve
Method
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Rinse your split peas in water, drain, then set aside for later.
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In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat then add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic. Sauté until all ingredients are soft and tender, for about five to seven minutes.
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Add the ham hock or bone to your pot, then add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
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Once simmering, turn the heat down to low and add the split peas, bay leaves, potatoes and thyme, then stir to combine.
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Cover and simmer for one to two hours, until the split peas are soft (mushy peas are good!) and the meat falling off the ham bone.
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Take the ham hock or bone out of the pot and let it cool, slightly. Remove the meat from the bone and chop it up, then put it back in the pot.
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Season with salt and pepper to taste, and your soup is now ready to eat!
Note: If the soup is too thick, you can add more stock or water to thin it out. This is more likely to happen with left-overs – be prepared for your soup to thicken in the fridge once it cools!
