Split pea soup — a thick, comforting soup of split peas simmered with gammon and vegetables, blended smooth and topped with shredded ham. Hearty winter warmer, lovely with crusty bread.
- 1kg Ham
- 200g (soaked overnight) Peas
- 2 chopped Onions
- 2 chopped Carrots
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 chopped Celery
- 300g Frozen Peas
- to serve Bread
Tags:
Soup WarmVideo
Preparation
- Put the gammon in a very large pan with 2 litres water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and drain off the water to get rid of some of the saltiness. Re-cover with 2 litres cold water and bring to the boil again. Put everything but the frozen peas into the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1½–2½ hours, topping up the water as needed to keep it at a similar level. As the ham softens, you can halve it so it stays submerged. When the ham is tender enough to pull into shreds, it is ready.
- Lift out the ham, peel off and discard the skin, and while still hot (wearing clean rubber gloves), shred the meat. Remove the bay from the soup and stir in the frozen peas. Simmer for 1 minute, then blend until smooth, adding a splash of water if too thick, and return to the pan to heat through if needed.
- When ready to serve, mix the hot soup with most of the ham (gently reheating if made ahead). Serve in bowls with the remaining ham scattered on top, and eat with crusty bread and butter.
