For any reader who is not sure about having a go at making your own very hearty soup of superior quality.
PEA & HAM SOUP
With one whole ham hock you can make a lot of soup.
Put some deep slashes into the hock – say 3 – to allow for it to make better broth.
In a large pan (I always used the big oval Le Crueset) put the hock and cover with water. The pot would be at least half full, or more likely two-thirds. Bring to boil then simmer for at least one hour.
Then add about 4 or 5 chopped potatoes, 1 very large carrot (or 2 smaller ones) – chopped. Add quite a bit of black pepper but no salt at this stage. Cook a further hour or thereabouts until all is well cooked. Remove the hock which by now should be in that state of ‘falling off the bone’. Discard the skin and flake the meat trying not to eat too much of it. Set aside.
To the broth and vegetables add a whole 500g packet of frozen McCain baby peas. Cook for at least 20 mins and now check for seasoning. Add salt as you see fit. I also add other things to my liking – a bit of celery or garlic salt, some Massel veg stock perhaps. Should you have plenty of fresh parsley add a good amount of that too. Allow to cool just a bit and then blitz with whiz gig.
Reheat having added the flaked ham meat. Eat.
If you are making this on a cold and wet day it would be a good idea to have a go at making your own bread. You can do the preparation while the soup is simmering, get the dough to raise by putting the bowl near your heater and get it cooked in time to serve with the soup. It’ll be a complete meal and very satisfying.
(Note: I used to make the soup using dried split peas – very cheap – but changed over the years as the dried stuff led to burping and potential farting. I have given rough times as I just cooked till done. An extra potato and carrot will do no harm, nor will more peas – this will depend on the size of your pot.)
Window Dresser's Arms, Pig & Whistle 
I love the title too. Frozen peas are not all that expensive I have noticed recently and often on special. I had never thought of using them for a pea and ham. Wonderful. I will try this. Thank you for the recipe, Vivienne. xx
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Thanks Shoe. I had a flash of inspiration with the title and you are the only one to comment.
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I saw a recipe of pea soup that used frozen green peas instead of the dried variety of split peas, or my mum’s whole dried peas.
I remember thinking that the green peas of frozen type might make a bit fresher tasting soup, but as I have never made it, I don’t know. What do you say, Viv?
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Hi Helvi – the taste is different. I used the split dried peas because I’ve never seen whole dried ones! I wouldn’t say one is better than the other as dried stuff is good and we all use (I reckon) dried lentils, chickpeas, barley etc. One would have to describe it as ‘fresher’ but the end result of the whole soup for me is that fresh peas don’t give me the burps. If cost is a factor dried is cheaper. Unfortunately the smoked hocks have become more expensive. They are, here, around $9 each but I still think they are good value because they taste so darn good. I also might add that I think smoked bones are a waste of money.
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Once only have I bought smoked bones, did not do anything to enhance the flavour of the soup. Those whole dried peas were there a very long time ago, in Finland, they must be now sold as antiques, or you find them only in museums… They took a lot longer to cook, I have never seen them here either…
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I too bought them just the once when I couldn’t find a hock. Yep – didn’t even make a decent broth.
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Helvi – hope you read this – I’ve just made the soup for tonight. The difference is that the frozen peas make it sweeter. I think you should stick with the dried and not try the ‘fresh’. I’ve add a few shakes of cummin and cayenne.
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I’m having what shes having
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..you know where the kitchen is, Hung 🙂 I’m forgetting how to get there and what to do there, as Mr GO seems to have taken over the place…
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I don’t cook much these days H, sad really.
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Thanks Vivienne, I love recipes with approximate amounts, options that may be used or omitted, and ‘rough times’ for cooking….very organic.
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Yes, I really do not have any exact times for my home cooking. Reminds me of an old little cook book I was given with numerous recipes given by Mrs John Smith etc. Most were ‘cook till done’.
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“Discard the skin and flake the meat trying not to eat too much of it” oh, isn’t that the truth! Hmm, drizzly day in Far North Queensland, this could be the very thing for my evening meal (and lots of leftovers). Thanks for the tip about frozen peas, I’ll give that a try. Cheers!
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Meat close to the bone is always so so so delicious. The truth is that I usually ‘sample’ about half of it !!!
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Would have been good if I had a photo of this soup. The boss did well to find this one which shows dried peas and ingredients.
If you wished to zing it up more you could add a curry powder but then you would have another soup.
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Terrific food and when complaints are made how the poor can’t afford good food, how can one improve on the old pea and trotter soup?
As kids it was my mum’s favourite stand-by. The fart fest afterwards was almost as good as a New Year’s Eve fireworks.
We loved it.
Thanks Viv. Great soup recipe.
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Hello Gez. A word to the wise, hello and what is good food, special mention to the poor, that they might eat it and be nourished is poison to the person who cannot eat it for reason to do with whether their constitution is as hearty. I for long thought nourishment was nothing other than following tried and true rules. One thing I never imagined is not being able to eat anything and everything that is ‘good’ for us. What a nuisance it is. I very much wish as well to eat cake.
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I used to make pea soup my mum’s way, always dried split peas, but omitting the dumplings she used put in it as well…I hated them and used pile them up on my sister’s plate, who absolutely loved them. I had to pay for this later; I gave her what she liked, and had to pay for it…oh well, I was happy to do it, that’s how it works in happy families.
I have now moved on, and my favourite soup now is: a lentil soup, sometimes hot and spicy, sometimes mild, but always enjoyable…I often have it for breakfast 🙂 True.
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to pile
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I too will eat lentil soup for breakfast, helvi. It suits me and is very warming to wake to. xx
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Its a great meal and cheap as chips to make. One of our winter faves vivienne. Our recipe is much the same as that butt we still use the split peas. Makes heaps and we get a couple of meals out of it.
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