Ingredients (serves 8)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 brown onions, finely diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 cups yellow or green split peas
• 2 ham hocks, skin and fat removed
• 2 litres water
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium–high heat, add onion, carrot and celery, and cook until the onion softens (about 5 minutes). Add garlic, cooking for 1 minute.
2. Rinse split peas under cold running water until water runs clear. Discard any discoloured peas. Add peas, ham hocks and water to pot, bring to the boil. Cover with lid and reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours or until the peas are mushy and the ham meat falls from the bone.
3. Remove ham hocks from pot using tongs and set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut the ham meat from the bones and roughly chop into small pieces. Discard the bones.
4. Using a spoon, skim the froth from the surface of the soup. Blend the remaining soup in the pot using a stick blender (or remove in batches to blend in a food processor) until smooth.
5. Stir ham into pea mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.

Notes

Remember this recipe in Summer and when you can' face one more morsel of Christmas ham, make soup to freeze for a lovely winter surprise.