Ham and Split Pea Soup

With all this cold and rain we have been experiencing, nothing beats a hearty soup for dinner.  What I liked about this recipe is that it has two major cooking stages, making it easy to prep halfway ahead of time and finish the cooking on the day that its intended to be eaten.  As you know, most soups are best the second or third day anyways, so more incentive to take advantage of prepping it ahead of time.  Great for saving time and planning ahead.

I was at my local co-op and found a Niman Ranch uncured ham steak as well as a ham hock that worked perfectly in this recipe (thank you Niman Ranch for the recipe too).  My doc is determined to convert me over to all organic and no nitrates, so this fit in perfectly with his plan.  And, it made my soup taste amazing!  Give it a try!

Ham and Split Pea Soup

1 lb dried split peas, soaked for 8-24 hours, then drained
1 lb Niman Ranch Uncured Ham, diced
1 ham hock
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 pinch nutmeg
1 bay leaf
olive oil
8 1/2 cups water or chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
salt and pepper to taste


Stage 1 of cooking process

In a large cooking pot, heat oil over medium high.  Add onions, celery, thyme and 2/3 of the diced carrots to the pan to sauté.  Cook until they soften, about 6 minutes.  Add the garlic and stir until combined.  Add peas, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper stirring for about 2 minutes.  Add the water/stock, ham hock, bay leaf, nutmeg, and a little more thyme and bring to a boil.  Turn down heat to a simmer and continue to cook another 20 minutes.


Now, you can continue, or allow to cool and store covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to finish the soup.


Stage 2 of cooking process

If you are removing your soup from the fridge, put on the stove and heat up to a boil and then turn heat down to a simmer.  Adjust with water if needed.  Add the ham, chopped 1/3 carrots that are left, and potatoes.  Cook an additional 30-45 minutes until the peas are tender.  Remove bay leaf and ham hock and discard.  You can serve as is or you can blend for a smooth texture using a burr mixer or a blender.  Enjoy!