Split Pea Soup

Sunday was beautiful spring day here in the northeast!  But still a bit of a chill so the day's menu included split pea soup.

Split pea soup and corn bread

One of our favorites on a cold day.  It was actually supposed to be black bean chili, but I didn't have any black beans cooked and didn't give myself enough time to cook them and make chili.  So split pea soup it was.  It is an easy simple soup to make, but it does take a while to cook.  I cook mine for 2 1/2- 3 hours until the peas have fallen apart on their own and usually so have the onions.  Because we don't often have a ham bone, I use ham steaks and cut them up into small pieces.

Split pea soup

Split peas and onions

1 cup onion cut into pieces
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 lb of dried split peas rinsed and picked over
1 cup chicken stock (or substitute water)
1 1/2 quart water
1 Tablespoon dried Parsley
black pepper  (to taste)
12 oz ham steaks cut into pieces

Saute the onions in olive oil in the bottom of a large sauce pan or a small stock pot.  Add the chicken broth, water, split peas, parsley and black pepper, bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to bring soup to a simmer.  Simmer for 2 1/2 hours, add the ham, bring back to boil and then simmer another 1/2 hour until the peas have disintegrated and the soup has a thick consistency.  Serve and enjoy!

Simple and easy!

This can be made in the crockpot too.  I put it all into the crockpot on high for 6 hours.  The last hour I may open the crock pot lid to allow some of the water to boil off if the soup is thinner than I like it.

Enjoy!
Michelle