1 pound green split peas
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery chopped
2 carrots chopped
1 clove crushed garlic, if desired
1 medium potato, grated
¼ cup vodka (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
Leftover ham bone or 2 small ham hocks
Salt and pepper to taste
8 cups of water
Embellishments (see recipe directions)
Let’s go for easy on this one. Most recipes call for your sautéing the vegetables for ten minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients. Forget it. Get a big pot; should hold 6 to 8 quarts. Pour in the 8 cups of water. Pea soup is a water soup, you can use chicken broth but I would go with water. Add all ingredients except salt and pepper; I save that for the final tasting. Insofar as the vodka is concerned, I always use it for no reason at all. It’s up to you; that is the Van touch.
There is another issue. Hand chopping is so good for the soul. However, I would recommend you place the onion, carrots, garlic, potato into the food processor or blender and do a rough chop. Your soul can get a boost someplace else. Bring the pot of ingredients to a boil; you will develop a foam on top of the soup; skim it off into a bowl and dispose of in the sink. This happens with bean soups in particular. Incidentally, many dried legumes( beans) have to be soaked overnight, but not split peas or lentils. As you wait for the boil, stir with a wooden spoon once in a while. When it starts to boil, turn down to low or simmer, and cook for about an hour and a quarter.
You are now finished. It is important to get out the bay leaf and throw away.
Stir the entire pot thoroughly. I take about 2 cups of the soup and put it in the food processor or blender to get a combined smooth and textured feel. This is not essential. Let the soup cool a little. Remove ham hocks and if you want, take off any meat on cooled bones and add to soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
There are different schools of thought on additions. I love to use sliced hot dogs. Lots of people like croutons; I was going to tell you how to make them and decided that’s a pain; store bought won out. I have a friend who loves to sprinkle the top of the pea soup with salted popcorn. Whatever tickles your palate.
Don’t buy those fancy split peas at $4.00 a box. Just go to your supermarket and get a pound package for 89 cents or less.