Thursday, January 8, 2015

Crockpot Split Pea and Ham Soup

I love this recipe!  This is my "go to" for pea soups.  If you don't want ham in it, simply leave it out and add a little more salt (to taste).  Very yummy!

ingredients:
1 ham hock or shank*
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 carrots, diced
1 stick of celery, finely diced
3 bay leaves
500g dry split peas
1 1/2 litres water
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. salt (more to taste)

directions:
1.  Chop all the ingredients and place in your crock pot.

2.  Let cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.  

3.  Remove ham hock/shank, let cool for apx 10 minutes.  Harvest the meat off the hock/shank, set aside.

4.  Peas and soup will be very soft and mushy.  With a potato masher, mash them to the desired consistency.  If you like a very smooth soup, you can use an immersion blender.  Add the ham back into the soup.  

Serve with a fresh loaf of bread, dinner rolls, crescent rolls, etc.

*Hocks or Shanks are sold in the store where you find the ham!  They are very inexpensive (under $3 for 2 hocks or shanks).  I have found shanks are meatier.  

*Shanks/Hocks can be found where you buy ham--there's usually a special ham case near the meat department.  Shanks/Hocks are very affordable $2-$3 for two!  I've found ham shanks have more meat than hocks do.  If you don't want to use a shank/hock, or if you like even more ham, add a small bag of the pre-diced ham you can buy in the deli or ham section of the store.  Yum!

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