Canadian Split-Pea Soup

Canadian Split-Pea Soup

This recipe provides the main part of a dinner, since the ham end will serve as the meat dish. A ham bone, left over from a boiled or baked ham, will flavour pea soup quite as well as a piece bought especially for the purpose.

2 or 3 lbs. ham end

3 qts. boiling water

1 carrot

1 cup split peas (green or yellow)

1 onion

       Salt and pepper

2 potatoes

2 Tbsps. ketchup

Put the end of a moderately lean smoked ham into a kettle with carrot and peeled onion, whole potatoes and boiling water. Boil one hour and strain. Now rinse the ham thoroughly in hot water and return to the strained stock, together with split peas which have been soaking all night, and boil for one hour. Season with salt and white pepper and add ketchup. Serve at once. Thin with boiling water if too thick.

Variations

1 lb. split peas

       A few sprigs parsley, minced

2 1/2 qts. water

       Dash cayenne

1   onion diced

       Salt and pepper

2 carrots, diced

1 lb.      pork sausage meat

2or 3 small bay leaves

Few celery tops, large mince

Wash and drain peas. Put in 6-qt. kettle with all ingredients except last 4. Bring to boil and simmer covered, 2 hours, or until peas are mushy. Season, to taste. Shape sausage into 16 small balls and cook slowly in skillet until browned and done. Drain on absorbent paper and serve on soup.©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved.