Pea and ham soup

Recipe~Finder

Cooking time: More than 1 hour

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Healthy options: Low carb; Low fat; Healthy

Serves: 4

Type: Family; Kids; Easy; Soup

Tools

Kitchen friendly view

Ingredients

250g green split peas, rinsed
100g speck, in one piece
1 smoked ham hock
250g leeks, thinly sliced
2 medium floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
250g celeriac, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves
500g fresh peas in pod, shelled, or 200g frozen peas
breadstick and butter, to serve

Preparation method

Place split peas in a pan with 2 litres (8 cups) water. Add speck, ham hock and a little salt and slowly bring to a boil. Skim impurities from surface, then reduce heat to very low and simmer 1½–2 hours, or until peas are quite mushy.

Add leeks, potatoes, celeriac, carrot and parsley, and season to taste. Simmer 30 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally to prevent split peas from sticking to pan. Add fresh peas (if using) for last 10 minutes of cooking.

Remove speck and hock from pan. Cut speck into bite-sized pieces, remove meat from hock and cut into bite-sized pieces. Stir both into soup, together with frozen peas (if using). Simmer 10 minutes.

Serve soup in heated bowls with bread.

WINE TO MATCH:

Grenache is a red wine with rustic richness, just like this soup. Try Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache 2003, $15.

Pineapple glazed ham

Creamy ham and pea fettucini

Ploughmans platter

Warm pasta salad

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