Instructions:

Split Pea Soup
To serve 6

2 cups dry green split peas
6 cups water or fresh or chicken stock
bouquet garni; made of 1 stalk of celery cut in half, 3-4 parsley sprigs, 1 sprig of fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf bundled inside the celery and tied together
1/2 pound ham hock

2 tbsp. butter
1/4 pound salt pork, finely diced or ground
1 cup finely chopped carrots
2 cup finely chopped onions
1 large leek, chopped, white part plus 2 inches of green
1 cup coarsely chopped romaine lettuce leaves
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cups smoked ham, cut in 1/2-inch dice
2 tbsp. soft butter

Wash the split peas thoroughly under cold running water. In a heavy 4- to 5-quart saucepan or a soup kettle, bring 6 cups of water or chicken stock to a boil and drop in the peas. Add the bouquet garni, and the ham hock. Reduce the heat and simmer half covered for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the peas are tender but not mushy.

While the peas simmer, melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a heavy 8- to 10-inch skillet, and brown the diced salt pork until it is crisp and renders its fat; remove the pork and discard it. In the fat remaining in the skillet, cook the carrots, onions, leek and lettuce leaves uncovered over moderate heat for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and the leaves have wilted. When the split peas are tender, add all of the vegetables including the fresh green peas to the soup and simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes. Remove and discard the bouquet garni and the ham hock. Pick the ham hock of meat, dice 1/2 inch and set aside. Puree the soup, an immersion blender is recommended. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add the ham and bring the soup to a simmer over low heat. If the soup seems too thick, thin it with a little chicken stock or water.


Ladle the soup into soup bowls with 1 tablespoon of butter the the bottom of each.