Split Pea Soup With Ham

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/2 lb good quality bacon, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups diced yellow onions
• 4 diced carrots
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lb dried split peas, picked over and rinsed
• 1 ham steak, cut into 1/2 inch squares
• 3 (14 ounce) cans low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup half-and-half
• frank's hot sauce

Recipe

• 1 fry the bacon in your soup pot and reserve for garnish.
• 2 add the olive oil to the rendered bacon fat.
• 3 add chopped onions and carrots. cook & stir for 10-15 minutes.
• 4 push to one side of the pot to make a hot spot.
• 5 drop the red pepper flakes and garlic into the spot.
• 6 cook the garlic/pepper a minute in that spot.until golden.
• 7 add the bay leaf, split peas, ham, broth, water and bring to a boil.
• 8 cover the soup and let it simmer for 60 minutes.
• 9 remove the bay leaf and add the half and half.
• 10 the peas, onions and carrots should cooked enough to make the soup thick and vegetables indistinct, if not - use a hand blender -- but you'll lose the lovely ham cubes if you're too vigorous.
• 11 serve with reserved bacon and hot sauce dribbled on top.