Split Pea Soup

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 lb green split peas

1 cup chopped onion

1 clove of garlic

1 bay leaf

1 ham hock

1 cup chopped celery

1 oz vegetable oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

First, sort through the peas to remove any stones. Then, wash and drain peas. In a large pot, sauté the onion, celery, and garlic in the vegetable oil. Once they become slightly translucent, add the ham hock, peas, bay leaf, and two and a half quarts of water.

Bring to a simmer and skim off the scum that rises to the top, then simmer for an hour and a half, stirring occasionally so that the peas don’t stick to the bottom.

Once finished cooking, remove the hock and the bay leaf and puree the soup in a blender. Remember, if the soup gets too thick, you can always add a little more water.