Split Pea Soup

Here's a perfect recipe for those who have a leftover ham bone (see below posts) or simply want a warm soup during the long, cold winter.

SPLIT PEA SOUP

low heat
1 ½ - 2 hours
large soup pot

1 package (8 ounces) split peas
1 ham bone, or 4-6 short ribs of beef
2 onions, diced small
2-3 stalks celery, diced small
3 large carrots, cut large on the diagonal
1 parsnip, diced small (optional)
1 bunch parsley, finely minced leaves; stems held together with a rubber band
1 parsley root, diced small (optional)
1 small whole celeriac root*, for use later as salad or puréed (optional)
1 small white turnip, diced small (optional)
1-2 bay leaves
4" kombu* (optional)
freshly ground pepper
spaghetti, broken in half (thickens soup and attracts children)
spinach, collard greens (ribbon cut), Swiss chard or other green whole leaf vegetable
fresh hot dogs or tofu dogs, sliced thin, horizontally (attracts children)

*(Japanese dried seaweed: adds salt, iodine and flavor)


1. Render any ham fat in pot. Sauté onion in ham fat until golden brown, if desired. Discard lumps of ham fat. This step is optional.

2. Place ham bone or browned meat in bottom of pot. Add split peas, vegetables (except greens), and seasonings. Cover with water to one inch above vegetables. NOTE: Almost all beans and grains require at least twice the amount of water as dry beans, rice, etc. Therefore, to one cup of dried peas, add at least 2 cups of water. For a thinner soup, add more water. If the raw vegetables appear above the surface, add more water. NEVER salt beans or peas until they are fully cooked. Salt will toughen them and prevent them from cooking. Kombu, parsley and celery add natural salt to the pot.

3. Cook in an open kettle at least 1 ½ hours. Peas should be disintegrated for soup. Taste them for doneness. Older peas require more cooking time. Remove parsley stems. When soup is cooked, it can be carefully food processed with the stop/start button to smooth it to desired consistency. Another method is to smooth half the soup, then return it to the pot with the more textured soup.

4. Place kettle back on stove. Heat gently and add spaghetti (this will thicken soup and attract children), greens and hot dogs (For picky eaters slice dogs so thinly that the child cannot fish a slice out without tasting some soup.) Cook until pasta is tender. Serve hot, garnished with sour cream or yogurt. Serve with wedges of black or rye bread for a complete meal-in-one dish.

NANCEEE B'S NOTES:
•Celeriac can be sliced and served cold with salad dressing. Or, it can be puréed and combined with an equal quantity of mashed potatoes. When using celeriac in soup, cut in only one stalk of celery.
•The more vegetables used, the richer the soup will be.
•Sauce for short ribs is a mixture of mustard, horse radish and sour cream to taste, plus a pinch of sugar and a dash of vinegar.
c.Nancy Bookman Hoffman