This hearty, thick soup is a family favourite.  Served with crusty bread, a little cheese and some fruit, it’s a meal in itself.

I’ve had the recipe for years, and am at a loss to know the original source.  I suspect it was clipped from a newspaper article years ago, and as it’s been updated and transcribed a number of times, it has certainly stood the test of time.

Split Pea Simmer

Print Recipe

A thick, hearty soup made from the humble split pea.

• Total Time: 180

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 c dried green split peas
• 1 smoked ham hock (2 lbs)
• 1 stalk celery, chopped, with leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ tsp thyme
• 2 c cubed rutabaga
• 1 c cubed celery
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 large potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 ½ tsp pepper
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Rinse peas and ham hock; place in a stockpot or large saucepan along with 16 cups (4 l) water and celery.  Bring to boil, skimming off foam.  Add bay leaf and thyme.  Reduce heat; simmer; covered for 2 hours or until peas and meat hock are tender, skimming off foam as necessary.  Remove and discard celery and bay leaf.  Remove ham hock; let cool.  Pull off meat; discard bone, skin and fat.  Cube meat; set aside.  (Soup and meat can be prepared to this point and refrigerated in separate covered containers for up to 3 days.)  Skim fat from soup.
2. In a clean saucepan, combine split pea mixture with rutabaga, celery, carrots, onion, potato and pepper; bring to boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, stirring often for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, adding up to 1 cup more water if the soup is too thick.  Return the ham to the soup. Season to taste.

• Author: Helen Kain
• Prep Time: 30

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8