Aussie Pea Soup

a recipe from my mum's 1938 Australian Home Cookery book. A thick rich pea soup for those cold winter days,a meal in it's own right,with some crusty french bread..oh yeah! Believe me,two bowls of this and you ain't goin' anywhere..

• Ready In: 3 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb  yellow split peas
• 1  large onion
• 1  small carrot
• 4  stalks celery
• 3 -4  slices smoked bacon or 3 -4  ham bones
• 4  pints water
•  oil (for frying)
• 1  tablespoon flour
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried mint
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Soak your peas overnight.
2. Prepare your vegetables,cut them up finely.
3. Warm an appropriate size stockpot.add two tablespoons vegetable oil.
4. Add the strained peas and vegetables and fry for 5 minutes.
5. Add the bones and water,bring to boil,cover tightly.
6. Reduce heat and simmer for three hours until peas are very tender.
7. Remove the bones and pass the whole soup through a blender.
8. Return to the pot,add sugar, mint, salt and pepper to taste.
9. Mix the flour in a little cold water to thicken.
10. Serve with a crusty french stick or similar.
11. Note~If there is meat on the bones,it can be picked off and added to the soup AFTER blending.