Ingredients
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1 large onion, finely chopped
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1 -2 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (or to taste)
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3 tablespoons oil (not olive oil)
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1 (16 ounce) bag dried split green peas
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1 ham bone (make certain that the bone has a fair amount of meat on it)
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4 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
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3 cups water (for a very thick soup use only 2 cups water, you can always add in more water during cooking)
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salt & freshly ground black pepper (I use seasoned salt)
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2 -3 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
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1 large bay leaf
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1 cup frozen peas (optional, add in towards the end of cooking and heat through)
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1 cup cooked rice (or to taste)
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whipping cream
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or saucepan saute the onion and garlic in oil until soft (about 5-6 minutes).
- Add in broth, dried split peas, water, ham bone and bay leaf; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the soup thickens (add in the diced carrots the last hour of cooking).
- Add in pepper to taste.
- Remove the ham bone and bay leaf.
- At this point the soup can be pureed if desired.
- When the ham is cool, pull the meat from the bone and shred it into bite-size pieces, then return to the saucepan, or serve on the side.
- Add in rice and stir until heated through.
- Ladle into serving bowls, and drizzle with whipped cream if desired.