During this time of year, the holiday ham inevitably makes an appearance. While chowing down on sliced ham has never been my thing, ham is pretty wonderful for making a hearty, warming pot of split pea soup. If you have the ham hock, throw that in too, as it will add great flavor. Otherwise, just dice up your ham leftovers and you’ll still end up with a wonderful split pea soup that’s great for the chilly winter months. You can keep split peas in the pantry for just such an occasion!
Guessipe
- 2 TBSP butter
- stalks from 2 fennel, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 carrots, diced
- 1 lb ham, diced
- 1 lb dried split peas
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Stir in the fennel, onion, and garlic. Cook until the onions turn translucent.
Add the carrots and cook until the onions start to brown.
Mix in the ham, split peas, and bay leaf.
Add the chicken broth and water. Stirring occasionally, simmer slowly until the peas are tender and the soup thickens, about an hour and a half.
Salt and pepper to taste.
