INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1.2kg ham hocks
500g dried green split peas
2 cups (300g) frozen peas
METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a very large pot over medium–high heat. Sauté the onion, garlic and carrot for 2 minutes or until starting to soften. Add the hocks and cover with 2 litres of water.
2. Add the split peas to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, covered, for around 2 ½ hours. You may need to top up the water to keep the ham hocks covered, but try not to add any more than necessary or the soup will just need to be reduced at the end. The split peas should be completely soft. Remove the ham hocks and set aside to cool.
3. Add the frozen peas to the pot and turn the heat off after 1 minute. The frozen peas give a brighter green colour and fresh flavour. Using a hand-held blender, blitz the soup in the pot until all the ingredients are completely puréed and velvet-smooth. If you don’t have a stick blender, transfer the soup in batches to a blender.
4. If the soup is too thin for your liking, simmer for a bit longer until it reduces and thickens. Remove the skin, bone and fatty bits from the hocks. Shred or slice the meat into pieces. Return the ham to the soup and serve with a grind of black pepper, and a robust bread such as toasted sourdough or warm crusty rolls.
Recipe extracted from Classic by Julie Goodwin (RRP $39.99). Available from bookstores and online retailers.
BEST WINE MATCH FOR HEARTY PEA AND HAM SOUP
A luscious, rich Chardonnay or light red will satisfy with Julie’s classic. For a red, try a slippery Pinot Noir or Gamay.