Split Pea Soup

Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 leek, part only,washed and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 lbs ham hocks (preferably smoked)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 pinch dried chili flakes (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups split peas
• 10 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• coarse salt
• freshly cracked black pepper
• additional stock or water, if needed to thin the soup

Recipe

• 1 heat the butter in a dutch oven or large soup pot on medium heat.
• 2 add the onion, carrot, celery, leek, and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• 3 add the ham hock, bay leaves, thyme, chile flakes and split peas and cook 2 minutes longer.
• 4 increase heat to high.
• 5 add the stock and bring to a boil.
• 6 reduce heat to low.
• 7 simmer soup, partially covered, for 2 hours or until split peas are soft, stirring occasionally.
• 8 remove the ham hock and take meat off bone and reserve.
• 9 discard the bay leaves and thyme stalks.
• 10 with a hand held blender smooth purée some of the soup.
• 11 if the soup is too thick add some more water or stock to loosen.
• 12 return meat to the pot, bring back to a boil and add the chopped coriander& parsley.
• 13 season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 14 serve hot.