My mom used to make split pea and ham soup in winter when I was a child and I absolutely loved it. Nothing beats a nice hearty soup after spending the day playing in the snow.
The best thing is that my 3-year-old daughter who’s usually not a big fan of soup always asks for seconds! This soup is definitely a winner for the whole family.
Preparation: 15 mins | Cooking time: 2 hours | Soaking time: 4-6 hours | Serves 6-8 | Can be frozen
INGREDIENTS
• 1 x 500g bag of split peas or dried yellow peas
• 6 cups (1.5 liters) of water or broth
• 200g ham diced
• 3 onions chopped
• 2 carrots diced
• 2 celery sticks diced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 bay leaves
• *2 tsp ground savory
• salt and pepper
METHOD
Step 1. Soak peas in about 6 liters of water for 4-6 hours or overnight if convenient. Drain and set aside.
Step 2. In a large pot, cook the onions in butter. Add the carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes.
Step 3. Add the water, peas, ham, thyme or savory and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 2 – 2.5 hours or until the peas are soft. Stir occasionally.
Step 4. Once the soup is cooked, remove bay leaves and discard.
Step 5. Season to taste and serve.