Hearty Pea Soup Supper

Submitted by Cathie, Chef #533286

"Full of ham and lots of vegetables, this makes a nice cold weather meal.  Serve it with fresh crusty bread and a nice salad.  For sure it’s a family favourite in my house!  "

 

• Ready In: 2hrs
• Ingredients: 11
• Yields: 20 Cups
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• 3 large carrots, diced
• 2 large yellow sweet onions, diced
• 5 celery ribs, diced
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ham bone (with some meat left on)
• 2 -3 cups dried yellow split peas (1 bag)
• 12 cups chicken broth (or water with ham or chicken bouillon)
• 1 1⁄2 cups diced ham
• 2 cups corn niblets (canned or frozen)
• 1⁄2 bell pepper, finely diced (green, red or a mixture)

directions

1. Boil ham bone in large stock pot adding enough water to cover for 1-1 1/2 hours. Remove bone and set aside.
2. If you want to remove the fat from the ham broth, let it cool completely in the fridge then it will be easy to remove with a slotted spoon.  In the really cold months I leave it covered and just put it in the garage overnight.
3. While ham is boiling, cut up all your vegetables and pick off any meat from the bone and dice it up.
4. After skimming fat from broth, add split peas and bring to a boil then simmer for 45 minutes.  Add diced vegetables and corn and more water to almost fill pot, leaving room to add the meat inches  Return to a boil then simmer another 15 minutes. Add the meat about 5 minutes before serving.
5. Notes: I use just water for my liquid then add the bouillon after all of the vegetables have been added to the soup.  I then add bouillon powder a bit at a time until I am satisfied with the flavour. (I have only found ham flavoured bouillon in the U.S. so I more often than not use chicken.) As far as the amount of water, it’s really up to you.  12 cups is really just a guideline as some people like it very thick.  I prefer mine a little thinner as there are so many tasty ingredients to showcase if you don’t have enough ham left on the bone, just pick up a ham steak, trim and dice before adding to soup.