Split Peas 3 Ways

By Colleen Walsh Fong

Nothing takes the November chill from my spine like a steaming bowl of soup. I love all kinds of soup from broth based to lentil. So I’m happy today because it’s National Split Pea Soup Week, and I’m making some to celebrate. This particular soup can be made in a large batch and kept cold for reheating on busier days later in the week. I like to freeze it in one-serving portions so any family members can reheat a serving for themselves. It keeps well for about 6 weeks when frozen.

My favorite kind of split pea soup is the kind I make from a real ham bone that’s still got some meat left on it. If you haven’t made a ham in the past few days but want to make a version of this soup, go “trick-or-treating” for a hambone. Sometimes the butcher at your favorite meat shop or supermarket will have one they are willing to give you.

I’m using my traditional Split Pea Soup recipe that calls for a hambone. Find it below. But if you’d like to make a batch, and don’t want to go to the bother of obtaining or using a hambone, or prefer a meatless variety, find a version of this recipe that shows how to make it with meaty alternatives, or without any meat here.

Split Pea Soup by Easy Weekly Meals

Ingredients

·      Enough Water to fill a Dutch oven to the 3/4 level

·      Leftover Hambone with some Ham attached

·      16 oz Split Peas

·      1/2 Sweet Onion, minced 

·      1 C Carrots, minced

·      2 cloves Garlic, minced

·      4 pieces Whole Grain Bread, toasted

·      2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

·      1 T Pure Clover Honey

·      Garlic Powder to taste

·      Olive Oil Cooking Spray

Preparation

·      Fill Dutch oven or stockpot to 3/4 mark with water and put on stovetop over high heat.

·      Add hambone and bring to a boil.

·      While water comes to the boil, rinse split peas in fine mesh strainer and add to pot.

·      Add minced vegetables.

·      When water boils, reduce it to a low simmer and cook covered for 3 hours, stirring often to prevent sticking to pot bottom.

·      As soup cooks, toast bread.

·      Use whisk to emulsify oil and honey in mixing bowl. Brush some onto each side of the toasted bread pieces, and then sprinkle them with garlic powder.

·      Preheat oven to broil.

·      Coat cookie sheet with cooking spray and lay toasted bread upon it. Put it on top oven rack, about 4” from cooking element. Broil to toast, about 1 minute per side.

·      Remove toast from broiler and cut into 1” squares to make croutons.

·      After 3 hours use slotted spoon to remove hambone and ham. Discard bone, any cartilage, and all fat.

·      Chop meat and return it to pot.

·      Turn heat up under pot and bring liquid back to a boil. Leave soup at a soft boil to allow it to cook down to desired thickness.

·      Ladle finished soup into bowls, float croutons on top and serve.

Enjoy National Split Pea Soup Day the Easy way!

Photo Courtesy of Easy Weekly Meals