Knowing how to make great soup is a key element of having vintage savoir-faire in the kitchen.
Short on time? Make a big pot of soup on the weekend, for easy weekday lunches and dinners. Soup also freezes really well in individual containers, for those nights when you just can’t cook.
Want to eat healthier? Homemade soup has no preservatives and much less sodium than the store bought kind. Plus, you control what goes into it – so it can be loaded with veggies and nutritious homemade chicken stock.
Saving money? Soup can feed a crowd. It can be a starter or a main course. And best of all, it is the easiest, sneakiest way to use up leftovers and random vegetables.
This Split Pea and Ham soup is thick, hearty and comforting. Perfect for the last chilly nights of early spring. It’s also a great way to use leftover easter ham! I made this low maintenance recipe in a slow cooker (crockpot), but you can just as easily make it on the stove.
You Need:
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 celery stalks
300 g. yellow split peas
1L chicken stock (homemade or stock cube)
250 g. cooked ham, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. turmeric (optional, but I add turmeric to all my soups – it has anti-inflammatory properties)
salt/pepper to taste
Method:
1) Put dried yellow split peas in a bowl, cover with water, let soak 8 hours (or overnight).
2) Drain peas, and place in slower cooker with onion, celery, garlic, and ham. Add seasonings. Cover with chicken stock.
3) Let cook 4-6 hours on High setting (or simmer on stovetop for a couple of hours, until ham is falling apart and peas are mushy).
4) Remove bay leaf, season to taste, and serve with crusty bread.
Looking for something else to make in your crock pot? How about some homemade yogurt?
[...] Make a ginger glazed ham then use the leftovers in split pea and ham soup. [...]