Easy Split Pea Soup

Easy Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

1 leftover ham bone

1 bag of split green peas, or yellow peas, lentils or any type of bean, rinsed

2 large carrots, diced

1 large onion, diced

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 tsp marjoram

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 bay leaf

3 large red potatoes, diced

3 tbsp olive oil

Kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

10 cups water

Directions:

Using a large stockpot, (I used my large Le Creueset pot) add olive oil and turn on medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot and celery, salt and pepper, and saute until starting to soften, about 8 minutes.  Add the rinsed peas, toss and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the ham bone and the water.  Add marjoram, parsley and bay leaf with an additional 1 tsp salt and pepper.  Turn the heat down to medium low.

Cover partially, and let the soup simmer for about 1 hour or until the peas start to break down.  Add the potatoes, and cook for another 1/2 hour, or until all the veggies are soft  Once the soup starts to thicken, stir occasionally with a wooden spoon so it doesn't burn on the bottom.  You can always add more water if you think it is too thick.  Taste for seasoning.  Here is a tip, if you feel that the soup needs more depth of flavor, you can always add a packet of low sodium chicken bouillon, the powdered kind, so it dissolves quickly.  

If you don't prefer the potatoes, you can substitute with a small pasta such as ditalini, or the tiny bow ties.  Just use what you have, and enjoy the process!