Anticiplate

I do not know if it is me, but Seattle has been particularly cold this winter. Not too much rain, but windy and cold. I guess that is why I have been craving soup! 

It was news to me to hear that Erik loves split pea and ham soup. My mom asked me one time if Erik would eat that at her house for dinner, and I replied, without asking him, “No. Probably not”. Ironically, I find out later it is one of his favorite soups. Who knew? 

This soup takes a little bit of time but is well worth the effort. It makes your house smell like your grandmother’s kitchen, and the soup freezes easily for those nights when the thought of cooking, and doing the dishes seems overwhelming. 

Serves 2-3

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes

1 1/4 lb. ham hock, cut in half (ask the butcher to do this), trimmed of fat

4 1/2 c. water

1 small fresh bay leaf

2 large shallots, roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1 stick celery, roughly chopped

3/4 c. green split peas

Fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp. flat leaf parsley, finely minced

Remove all of the skin and fat from the ham hock.  Place the ham, water, bay, shallots, carrot, and celery in a large pot.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. 

Take the ham out with tweezers and leave on a cutting board to cool.  Strain the liquid from the vegetables.  Discard the vegetables and the bay leaf. (My mom suggested to discard the bay leaf, and puree the vegetables in the food processor to add more texture and flavor to the soup. I did not do this, but it is your choice).

Remove ham pieces from the bone and cut into bite-size pieces.  Add the liquid and chopped ham to the pan (and pureed vegetables if you prefer).  Add the split peas. Simmer, covered for 35 minutes, or until peas are tender and broken down.  The last 10 minutes, simmer uncovered until thickened to your likeness. 

Stir in pepper, and parsley to taste. Ladle into bowls. 

*We cut up a fresh loaf of bread to go with the soup. If you are starving, even a grilled cheese sandwich would compliment the dish nicely.