INGREDIENTS
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290g (1 1/3 cups) green split peas
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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2 carrots, peeled, chopped
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2 sticks celery, trimmed, chopped
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1 brown onion, halved, chopped
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3 garlic cloves, crushed
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700g ham or bacon hocks
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1.5L (6 cups) cold water
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Salt & freshly ground black pepper
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Bread, to serve
METHOD
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Step 1Rinse split peas under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain.
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Step 2Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion softens.
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Step 3
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Add split peas, ham hocks and water. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 2 – 2 1/2 hours or until ham hocks are tender and the meat is falling away from the bones. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Remove ham hocks from pan. Remove the meat from bones. Coarsely chop meat and set aside.
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Step 4Place one-quarter of the pea mixture in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Return to pan with ham. Repeat with remaining pea mixture. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until hot.
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Step 5Ladle soup into bowls and serve immediately with crusty bread.
