Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup is one of those recipes that I had heard about, never really thought about eating and had no idea if I would like it. Chris suggested it as an option last week and Simply Recipes happened to add it to their blog last week so I figured it was meant to be. Well, the verdict is that I liked it but ham hocks are so gross to cook with. I'm not sure if there is a way to skip them in the future,  but I will certainly try to. I liked the flavor that they added to the soup  but I was disgusted by them. I guess I'm not a good carnivore because I am selective about what I want to touch/cook with/eat. Anyway, that tangent has nothing to do with how delicious this soup really is. 

INGREDIENTS

1 lb (2 1/4 cups) green split peas

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 large leek, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 large clove of garlic, halved

1 herb bouquet*

2 well-rinsed ham hocks

Salt and Pepper

Steps

1.Wash and drain peas. 

2. Place the peas in a 4 quart pan with the vegetables, herb bouquet, ham hocks and 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) of water. Bring to a simmer. Skim the scum off the top of the soup for several minutes, until the scum ceases to rise. (A new tip I just learned -- you can just put a paper towel on the top and it will soak up the scum) Cover loosely and simmer about 1 1/2 hours, or until peas are tender, stirring occasionally in case they stick to the bottom of the pan. (I didn't cover mine, I forgot. oops) This photo shows my little herb bouquet -- don't be intimidated, it was my first time using this too but I liked it better than fishing out bay leaves later on. 

2. Remove the ham hocks and herb bouquet from the soup. 

3. Purée the soup with a blender. I used my immersion blender but you can use a regular blender too. Just be really careful since its boiling hot soup. 

4.  Add salt and pepper to taste. I found that this soup took a lot of salt, I just felt like it was bland. I would slowly add salt and taste it as you add to your liking. 

Is it the most appetizing color? No. Is it delicious and creamy and nearly fat free? Yes.  Make it, get past the color and enjoy it. :)