Easy-Peasy, Split-Pea Soup with Bacon and Rosemary

No, you don't need a ham bone to make pea soup. Not even ham hocks. The bit of rosemary in this light and savory soup adds just the right touch. I usually half this recipe but add a bit more bacon and then a bit more for garnish. If you like things a bit more spicy, use pepper bacon.

• 6 slices bacon cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped ( sometimes I use shallots)
• 1 leek, white and light-green part only, thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4, 10.5 ounce cans chicken stock or homemade
• 1 1/2 cups dried, green split peas, gone over and washed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Cook bacon in a large pot until crisp. Stir in onion, leek, carrot and cook until soft. Add garlic and stir just until fragrant, about one minute. Pour in chicken stock. Stir in dried peas, bay leaves and rosemary. Simmer until peas are tender, about one hour, stirring occasionally. Now. How easy was that???

NOTE: Leeks usually come bunched in two's or three's. You only use the white part for cooking. But don't throw away the green leaves. They store for quite a while in the veggie crisper or you can rough chop them and freeze them. Yesterday I poached some chicken breasts and added the green parts of the leek to the water. You can also use them when making chicken stock. 

Slice the white part of the leek down the center and check for dirt which often hides in the crevices. You may need to wash/rinse it first.

Soup Base for Ham, Pea, and Lentil Soup

Winter is SOUP TIME! I always make a ham base for my bean soups. It's really quite easy and makes all the difference, especially since one doesn't always just happen to have a "ham bone" on hand.

• 2-3 pounds smoked ham shanks or smoked ham hocks or smoked ham neck and back bones or a combination
  
• 1 onion roughly cut
• 2-3 whole cloves
• 1-2 carrots, cut into fourths
• 1-2 celery stalks, cut into fourths
• about six cups of water
  

Rinse the ham "parts" really well and place into a stock pot. Fill with water and swirl then drain to clean bones even more. Add the rest of the ingredients and add water until covered. Bring to a SLOW boil and then immediately lower to a simmer. Skim off foam. Cover and simmer for 8 hours. I usually put it on the stove before I go to bed. An electric stove works best for this. You will get a clearer stock if it doesn't boil.

When cool enough to handle, strain through a colander. And then strain through a sieve. You'll have a rich broth with which to make soup. Place in the refrigerator overnight and remove the fat that rises to the top. You'll be left with a very rich and gelatinous stock with which to make a great bean soup. You can store this in the freezer. I like to use 3-4 cup tupperware-like containers.

Recipe for bean soup is here: Kitchen Bounty: Bean Soup