Split Pea Soup

Split Pea Soup. My dad hated it. He was forced to eat both this and Lima Beans by my thrift minded, Maine indigenous Grandmother. He stomached all sorts of strange, arcane and transmutative foods that should never have traveled down the esophaguses of the collective public. Cold Baked Bean and Mayonnaise sandwiches. Mayonnaise toasted bread. These were the fodder of his childhood menu. But Split Pea Soup and Lima Beans could not be tolerated.

I love it.

My wife's family would simply slow cook a ham, which in itself is something to behold, and after we had all picked that poor pig's leg clean, whatever meat clung to the bone was thrown into a pot of chicken stock and rock hard, little yellow pea halves simmered for an hour, and the resulting soup is both aromatic and hearty.




Ingredients

1. 1 package (16 ounces) of dried split peas
2. 8 cups of Chicken Broth
3. leftover ham bone with attached meaty bits
3. 2 peeled potatoes (cut into small cubes)
4. 2 medium onions (cut into small pieces)
5. 1/2 cup of chopped celery
6. 1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
7. 1 teaspoon of sage
8. 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
9. 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil
10. 1/2 teaspoon of salt (to taste)

Directions

Sift the peas and look for stones. (It is hard to believe, but in this day and age there are still stones in the peas). Put the ham bone and split peas into the chicken broth and simmer 45 minutes. Remove the bone and take the bits of fascia and such from the meat. Return the meat to the soup and add the onions, potatoes, celery, carrots and seasoning and cook for another hour and a half.

Eat with crusty bread and friends.

~The Soup Group~