Grandma’s Split Pea and Ham Soup

Category: DESTINY DIAMOND’S FAVOURITES

Serves: Serves 6-8

This recipe was handed down to me from my grandmother. I have been cooking it for over 30 years and have made it for small dinner parties and large groups of up to 100 people. It is the best soup I have ever found to make and a firm favourite at Destiny Haven throughout the winter months. Try it, you’ll never go back to any other recipe.

• 500gms green split peas (dried)
• 500gms yellow split peas (dried)
• 500gms soup mix (dried)
• 1 kg bacon bones
• 1 ham hock
• 200gms chopped bacon
• 6 cups water
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 chopped onions
• 2 diced carrots
• 2 chopped celery stalks
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• Mixed fresh or dried herbs extra
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Wash peas and soup mix well and place in large saucepan with bones and water and soak overnight. Drain the next morning and return split peas, soup mix and bones to the pan. Add water and stock and bring to boil. Simmer for two hours.

Heat bacon in pan and fry with onion, carrot and celery. Cook until golden brown. Meanwhile, remove the bacon bones and ham hock from the soup and remove all the meat from the bones and chop. Return the meat to the soup and add the onion, diced bacon and veggies to the soup. Add lemon juice and seasonings to the soup. If the soup is too thick, add some stock. If the soup needs further thickening (unlikely) melt 30gms of butter in small saucepan, stir in 1 tablespoon of plain flour and then blend a little water to make a paste before adding this to the soup.

* Serve the soup with crusty fresh or warmed rolls. It is a meal in itself and will have them coming back for more!

Submitted By: Janine Epere, CEO Destiny Haven.