Grandma's Pea Soup

There is an extra chill in the air today and it always makes me think of the warm, smokey pea soup my grandmother taught me how to make.  My grandfather used to beg her to make it and she would always oblige.  It was his favorite.  Even my father, who HATES peas, loves this soup.  I've never felt super confident about my soup making skills, but this is the one soup I can make with my eyes closed.  Not literally; but I've mastered it...and you will too!

I'll start with the basic recipe and then transition into a modified version, with bacon.  Yum!  I've been having a hard time finding ham bones with meat on them since Heavenly Ham closed.  So, I used a ham hock instead to flavor the broth.  It came out nicely with a few other additions, as well.

GMa’s Pea Soup

1 ham bone
1 lb dried peas (rinse and pick out and weird ones)
1 large onion (roughly chopped)
½ bag carrots
2 bullion cubes
A touch of corn starch if needed

In a large soup pot, sauté the onion in a little olive oil with salt and pepper. (About 4 minutes or until softened). Add ham bone and fill pot with water to cover the bone. Bring to a boil, and simmer for at least an hour and a half.  I will usually go for three hours, if it's the weekend.

Remove bone and let cool until you can comfortably pull the meat off. Taste the broth and season as you like. This is normally when I’ll add 2 bullion cubes dissolved in a little broth.

Add the peas to the broth and stir about every ten minutes. After about 20 minutes, add the carrots. The peas will take about an hour and will be done when they dissolve and become SOUP! (Just make sure you keep stirring from the bottom because they settle) While the peas are cooking, pull the meat off the bone and cut up with meat shears (its easier then tearing each piece up or using a knife). Leave the meat as big or small as you’d like.

Add the meat and cook another 15 minutes. Taste and season as you’d like. The longer you cook it, the thicker it will be, so only add the cornstarch if you want it really thick.

Ashley’s Pea Soup - Wingin' It!

1 ham hock
1 lb dried peas (rinse and pick out and weird ones)
1 large onion (roughly chopped)
½ bag carrots (About 3)
3 medium potatoes of your choice
2 bullion cubes
BACON - I used 4 slices, but feel free to go nuts  :)

In a large soup pot, sauté the onion in a little olive oil with salt and pepper. (About 4 minutes or until softened). Add ham hock and fill pot with water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for at least an hour and a half.  I will usually go for three hours, if it's the weekend.

Remove bone and discard.  If there is any meat, feel free to dice it up and pop it into the soup. Taste the broth and season as you like. This is normally when I’ll add 2 bullion cubes dissolved in a little broth.

Add the peas to the broth and stir about every ten minutes. After about 20 minutes, add the carrots and potatoes. The peas will take about an hour and will be done when they dissolve and become SOUP! (Just make sure you keep stirring from the bottom because they settle)

At this point, dice and cook the bacon.  Dry on a paper towel so you don't add a ton of grease to your soup.  Add about a 1/4 cup of the bacon to the soup and cook another 15 minutes. Taste and season as you’d like.

To serve, top with bacon and homemade croutons!  Yum!

Homemade Croutons:

Super simple.  Cube a loaf of crusty bread and pop on a cookie sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Bake at 400 for about 6 minutes, or until golden.