I have a lot of reservations and anxiety about the photos I post on this blog. Food photography is hard – especially when you are using bad lighting and your phone to take pictures. Many recipes never make it on here because I am not satisfied with the photos I took, or we were just too hungry to stop and take a picture. Looking at other food blogs, it is easy to feel like a failure – but then I remember why I am actually here…to post my favorite recipes in one spot and share tidbits of my life. That should be good enough for me.

So now we are here – Split Pea Soup will never be renowned as a beautiful looking dish – but hot damn it’s good. This recipe for split pea soup was so f*&$ing delicious and life changing, I can’t even begin to tell you. Yes, it takes some time, but it’s just so humble and worth it. I Love it so, so much. I slightly adapted the recipe from Emeril, and it just makes me love him even more.

Recipe
Split Pea Soup
adapted from Emeril
8 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried split peas
• 1 ham hock
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 cup finely chopped carrots
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 pound ham, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 cups water (I used some of the leftover ham hock water)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons fresh or dried thyme

Directions

Place the peas in a large pot or bowl, cover with water by 2 inches and soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain the peas and set aside.

Score the ham hock. Place in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 1 hour. You can drain and set aside, but I saved the water for my soup stock. I think it was a good decision.

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and cook, stirring, until just soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Add the ham hock and ham and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown. Add the drained peas, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes, and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add 8 cups of water, the bay leaf and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender, about 1 hour. (Add more water as needed, if the soup becomes too thick or dry.)

Remove the bay leaf and ham hock and discard. Adjust the seasoning, to taste, and serve immediately.