My mum makes the best pea and ham soup!
I will never forget as a young boy running into the family house from a cold winters day to be welcomed by the wonderful aroma of Mums pea and ham soup. It really is a true winter warmer!
With so much of the flavour coming from the ham hock, try and hunt down a good double smoked hock from your local butcher. Even if you have to pay $10 for it your still in for a very affordable winter dinner for the whole family.
There’s no other soup quite as filling as a Dutch pea and ham, a good one will stand your spoon up in the middle of the bowl!
Its got to be good for you.
Dutch pea and ham soup
1 smoked pork hock
1 carrot, peeled and quartered
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 bay leaves
6 peppercorns
1 ltr chicken stock
1.5 ltr water
2 cups split green peas
½ cup frozen peas for garnish
Soak the split peas in cold water overnight.
Place all the ingredients in a large pot with a lid. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 1 hour. Remove onion, carrot and bay leaves and discard. Remove pork hock and set aside. Blitz until smooth, pick meat from pork hock and add into the soup. Heat the frozen peas in the microwave and sprinkle on top. Serve soup hot with Gruyère toasts.
Gruyère toasts
8 slices ciabatta
4 tbsp Dijon mustard
100g Gruyère cheese, grated
Spread Dijon mustard over ciabatta slices then top with grated Gruyère. Place under a hot grill until cheese is golden and bubbling.