I think I have been eating pea and ham soup since I was… well forever. The bone from the Christmas ham goes in the freezer and then come out when the weather get cooler and pea and ham soup is made… You still need to get a ham hock to add some flavour and some of that lovely meat for the soup. I also add a few bacon bones or cooked bacon but it really is optional depending on how hammy you want it.
I remember my poppy and then my nana making this soup every winter… I remember that spilt peas were only 65 cents a packet… They are now about $2 but it is still a very cheap meal to feed a lot of pwopwl, especially if you make your own bread as well. (I know thats a bit much for some of you, but I will get you on to that ASAP)
This recipe so easy, chop everything up, sauté, then just throw everything in, turn it on and 8 hours later… the yummiest pea and ham soup! You don’t have to sauté the onions and garlic etc… but it does give it a better flavour as it make the onion flavour it makes it more subtle. I have to say this is the first time I have made it in my slow cooker as it is usually done on the stove, but I just didn’t have time to watch a pot of soup when I made it, so into the slow cooker it went. This is the only way I am ever making it again. The flavour was so delicious and even more so when you have some bread and butter with it too!
Ingredients
1 Large Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
2 Carrots
2 Sticks Celery
1 Zucchini
1 Tablespoon (20g) Olive Oil
1 Large Ham Hock (cut into 3 pieces your bircher will do this for you), plus the ham bone from Christmas if you have it.
300g Bacon Bones or chopped cooked bacon (optional, but gives more ham flavour)
500g Green Split Peas
10 Cups Water
Method
1. Chop up onions and crush garlic and sauté in oil, add finely chopped carrots, celery, zucchini and bacon if using instead of bacon bones and allow to cook for a few minutes. (if you want you can diced up the veggies in a food processor so that are really small as this gives you more flavour)
TMX METHOD Place halved onions, roughly chopped carrot, celery, zucchini, bacon (if using) and garlic cloves into Thermomix and chop 10 seconds/speed 5. Place in oil and saute 10 minutes/Varoma/speed 1. Follow instructions below.
Christmas ham, and the ham hock (cut into 3 by the butcher)
2. Place sautéed ingredients into the bottom of the slow cooker, add split peas and place ham hock and bacon bones on top of all the ingredients.
3. Add water and cook on high for 8 hours.
4. When finished remove bones and set a side to cool a little before removing any meat from the ham hock and placing back into the slow cooker.
5. Stir through the ham to distribute… if it is a bit thick just add some more water and let cook for another 30 minutes.
6. Serve with a big piece of crusty bread slathered in mountains of butter… (well only if you want to)
I really can’t make it any easier than that 🙂 this is great wholesome food, cheap as the whole dish cost $8, fed four of us and I have 6 containers in the freezer for lunches.
What is your favourite soup… do you have a family recipe that has been past down? When you get the winter chills what is the soup you alway turn to first?
I look forward to hearing from.
Enjoy Irresponsibly!
Liz x
If you liked this recipe maybe you might like these?
Lisa’s Slow Cooked Honey, Lamb and White Beans (Thermomix Method Included)
Rosemary and Garlic Slow Cooked Lamb
Liz xx
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Yep – love Pea & Ham Soup – and I keep the Christmas ham bone too Liz:-)
It is good to know that my family isn’t the only one 🙂 Liz xx