A good pea and ham recipe

Q:

Q: MY CHRISTMAS ham is almost down to the bone and I would like to make soup with it – do you have a good hearty pea and ham soup recipe?

Our expert is Constantine Laptev, who ran the kitchens in a number of major restaurants before moving into his own gourmet packaged food and catering business.

It might be a bit hot at this time of year but when a cool southerly comes in you will love this easy, tasty soup which is a meal in itself.

1500 ml water or light chicken stock
500 ml water (extra)
500 grams dried green split peas
1 good meaty ham bone
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
I large celery stalk, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 tbsp Dijon mustard or a teaspoon of mild mustard powder
dried aromatic herbs such as thyme, marjoram
Salt and black pepper to taste

Cover the dried peas with the water in a large saucepan with the bay leaf. Bring them to the boil and let them simmer for a few minutes then set them aside and let them cool and soak for an hour or so until the peas are softening up nicely. While it’s cooling, add the ham bone and allow it to sit – you may like to dice off some tasty meaty bits before cooking to add when serving, or just let the meat fall off the bone and dice it later.

Meanwhile in a separate pan, gently sauté the chopped onion, garlic, celery and carrots with salt and pepper to taste in a little olive oil until just softened. Add the herbs and mustard and stir through until aromatic.

Transfer all ingredients to one large pot, cover and simmer gently (do not boil) for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. If the liquid level falls or it gets too thick add water from your extra supply to keep it just right.

When you’re happy with the consistency and flavour, remove the bone from the pot and cut off the remaining flesh, then return it (along with the less cooked tasty bits if you have them) to the pot. Simmer the soup for another 30 minutes or so if required.

This recipe is great with crusty bread and gives a generous (meal-sized) serve for around eight people.

Enjoy!