Pea and ham soup

The hocks do two jobs here. They give the soup its meat, and they season the whole pot.

Serves

6 people

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

2 hours 50 minutes

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From the shop

Start with one 1 kg pack of smoked ham hocks. For a soup with less meat and a lighter smoky taste, use 1 kg of Smoked bacon bones the same way.

The hock seasons the soup while it simmers, so you do not need stock. Taste the soup at the end before you add any salt.

Ingredients

• 1 kg smoked ham hocks
• 500 g dried split peas
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 litres water
• Cracked black pepper

Method

1. Rinse the split peas in a sieve under cold water. Chop the onion, carrots and celery.
2. Put the hocks, peas, vegetables, bay leaves and water in a large pot.
3. Bring the pot to the boil over high heat. This takes about 10 minutes. Skim off any foam.
4. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Simmer with the lid half on for 2 hours 30 minutes. Stir every 20 minutes so the peas do not stick.
5. Lift out the hocks. Let them cool for 10 minutes. Pull the meat off the bones and shred it. Throw away the skin, fat and bones.
6. Put the meat back in the pot. Take out the bay leaves. Taste the soup before you add salt, because the hock is already salty. Season with pepper.

Serve it

Serve hot with crusty bread and butter. The soup thickens as it cools, so add a little water when you reheat it.