Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup

Name: Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 15 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 1 kg smoked ham hock, skin and fat removed; 2 cups dried yellow split peas, rinsed; 1 onion, chopped; 2 celery stalks, chopped; 2 carrots, peeled and chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp pepper; 2 bay leaves; 2 900-mL cartons reduced-sodium chicken broth; 4 cups water; chopped parsley, optional

Prep Time15 mins
Total Time8 hrs 15 mins
Makes16 cups

Photo: Erik Putz

Slow and steady wins the race with this hearty soup. 15 minutes of prep is all that's required of you. The reward is a bounty of freezer meals your future self will thank you for.

Ingredients

1 kg smoked ham hock, skin and fat removed
2 cups dried yellow split peas, rinsed
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
2 900-mL cartons reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 cups water
chopped parsley, optional

Instructions

In a 6-qt slow cooker, stir together ham hock, split peas, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves, broth and water. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Remove ham hock from the slow cooker and shred meat using 2 forks. Discard the bone and any fat. Return 2 cups of shredded ham to your soup. Reserve remaining ham for another use.
Stir in fresh parsley, if desired. Serve with crusty baguette and green salad.

Nutrition (per cup)

Calories 135, Protein 12g, Carbohydrates 18g, Fat 2g, Fibre 3g, Sodium 519mg.

Makeover your leftovers

Ham and Cheese Frittata: Whisk 8 eggs in a large bowl. Stir in ½ cup shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese, ¼ cup milk, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a 10-in. cast-iron or oven-safe frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 sliced onion and cook until softened, 5 min, then stir in leftover shredded ham. Pour in egg mixture, then sprinkle with another ½ cup shredded cheese. Bake at 375F until centre is just set, about 15 min.

Stir-fried Rice: In a large frying pan, stir-fry ¼ cup each of chopped carrot and celery in 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Stir in remaining shredded ham. Add 2 beaten eggs, stirring constantly until cooked. Stir in 3 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp chili-garlic sauce and 1 tsp sesame oil. Add 1 cup cooked rice and a handful thawed frozen peas. Stir-fry until everything is heated through.

Originally published in the March + April 2018 issue. Photo by Erik Putz.

This article was originally published on Mar 08, 2018

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