Ingredients
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1 (1 lb) package split peas
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2 quarts water
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1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
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1 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
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1 bay leaf
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1 teaspoon leaf thyme, crumbled
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1 large onion
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2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
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1/2 lb cooked ham or 1/2 lb ham hock, diced (whichever)
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1/2 lb smoked sausage or 1/2 lb Little Smokies sausage, sliced
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2 large leeks, well washed and sliced
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2 large celery ribs, thinly sliced
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
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2 whole cloves
Instructions
- Wash and sort peas.
- Combine peas, water, salt, pepper, bay leaf and thyme in a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Press cloves into onion, and add to pot (if using a ham hock you may wish to add it now so it becomes more tender- but NOT the smoked sausage, as they split if overcooked).
- Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender, about 1 hour.
- Remove the onion and bay leaf.
- Puree soup through a coarse sieve or in batches in the blender (be careful not to burn yourself!); return mixture to the pot.
- (I like to leave a little bit not pureed for texture).
- Add potatoes, ham, sausage.
- leek and celery.
- Simmer uncovered about 25-35 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
- Taste for seasoning and garnish soup with chopped parsley before serving.