Someone Wants a Split Pea and Ham Soup

I have never made split pea soup until this winter. I must admit that recently I am cooking more of things that resemble baby food. It sounds so idyllic to have a family gathered around the table - parents and a child - they share a meal together. In real life child seems to eat first and then parents. Back to the soup. It is actually quite easy to make and does come out tasty and comforting on a chilly, rainy and windy Seattle day.



Ingredients:

2 cups of dry split peas, well rinsed
8 cups of water (ratio of peas to water is 1 to 4)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 lb of smoked ham shank (I buy Beelers brand)
Olive Oil

Preparation:

Pour 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil in a large soup pot and on medium heat saute carrots, celery and onion for about 5 minutes until translucent and a little brown. Add ham shank and saute with vegetables for another 2 minutes. Then add peas, water and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, turn heat down to medium low (or low), cover and let cook for 90 minutes. Stir few times while cooking. Take the bone out, cut the meat off the bone into small pieces and add back to the soup. Stir and serve. Be careful with salt - ham shank has plenty of salt. You can always add it later. I did not need any salt. I did, however, add fresh parsley leaves and fresh cracked black pepper to my soup.