Foodie Friday Mellow Yellow Split Pea and Ham Soup Recipe

Mellow Yellow Split Pea and Ham Soup  (Prep. time 1 ½ hours.  Serves 10-12)

2 Tb. olive oil

1 carrot, ¼ inch dice

1 leek, white part only, rinsed, ¼ inch dice

3 ribs celery, ¼ inch dice

1 medium onion, ¼ inch dice

1 ½ lb. smoked ham hock with the skin split

1 quart chicken stock

3 C. yellow split peas

1 Tb. parsley

¼ tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. oregano

salt/ pepper

1 C. milk or cream

2 C. water

1 C. diced ham 

In a Dutch Oven or large stock pot, braise the ham hock with the vegetables in the olive oil. Add chicken stock, parsley, curry and oregano, and peas.  Simmer for ½ hour. Remove the ham hock and allow to cool.  Cut off the skin and strip as much meat as you can.  Be careful since a lot of the stuff on the bone is sinew and grizzle. (Dogs and cats love the skin) When the peas are soft, remove pot from the heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender.  Remember, if using a food processor or blender, do it in small batches to keep it from splashing up.  Puree as smooth as you like, but my friends liked a little texture.  Stir in the diced ham and the meat recovered from the ham hock along with the milk and water and simmer another 10-20 minutes.

Serve with rye bread or croutons.  Some people like a little brown mustard spread on the bread before they dunk.  If you want to get really fancy, drizzle a little sherry on top before serving. ( You see in the photo, I put a little more cubed ham on top and garnished with a little parsley.)

Thanks to Down to Earth Whole Foods in Endicott for sponsoring Foodie Fridays.  You can find fresh, organic vegetables like the leek, celery, carrot and onion at Down to Earth on Grant Ave., just east of Union Endicott High School.