← Nouns Cooking · Soup Pot

Ingredients

• 500 g dried green or yellow split peas, rinsed
• 1 smoked ham hock (about 1.2 kg)
• 2 l Water
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Carrot, finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 Bay leaves
• ¾ tsp Black pepper
• 1 handful Parsley, chopped
• Salt

Method

1. Put everything except the parsley and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam.
2. Turn down to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid slightly open and cook for 90 min, stirring now and then so the peas don't stick, until the peas have broken down and the meat is falling off the bone.
3. Lift out the hock. When it is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and throw away the skin, fat, bones and bay leaves.
4. Mash or blend the soup to the texture you like, then return the meat. If it is too thick, add a splash of water.
5. Taste before adding any salt, as ham hocks can be very salty. Serve sprinkled with parsley, with crusty bread.

Tips

• No ham hock? Use 300 g diced cooked ham and a good stock, adding the ham for the last 10 minutes.
• The soup sets thick in the fridge; loosen it with water as you reheat. Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate within 2 hours and reheat until piping hot.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

RecipeTin Eats Once Upon a Chef BBC Good Food