Pea and Ham Soup (Pea and ham soup)
Overview
Pea and ham soup is a thick, comforting winter soup in Australia, also much loved in Britain and New Zealand. Green split peas are simmered for a long time with a smoked ham hock, onion, carrot and celery until they collapse into a creamy purée. The meat is pulled from the bone and stirred back in, giving bites of smoky ham. It needs little attention, costs little and keeps well, so it is a favourite for family dinners and lunch boxes in cold months.
History
Pea soups came to Australia with British settlers, for whom dried peas were a long-keeping staple. Pea and ham soup became part of everyday Australian cooking and is a familiar sight in tins as well as homes. The phrase 'pea-souper', for thick fog, comes from Britain and shows how familiar the soup was. It is also often made after holidays with leftover ham.
Main ingredients
Green split peas, ham hock, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf. The soup is built on ham broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; usually gluten-free.
Recipe outline serves 4 · ~135 min
Ingredients
- 500 g green split peas
- 1 smoked ham hock
- 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2.5 l water
- pepper
Allergens: Contains: Celery. Based on the typical recipe. Recipes and products vary; always check labels if you have an allergy.
Method
- Put the peas, hock, vegetables and bay leaves in a pot with the water.
- Simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the hock, shred the meat and return it.
- Blend partly if you like and season with pepper.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.