I want to start by saying that I never liked pea soup before I made this one. I think the difference is a bottle of beer added at the begining of the recipe (even though I don’t like beer) and a couple of drops of apple cider vinegar added at the end.
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. butter
1 medium potato (about 1/2 lb.) diced
1 Lg. smoked ham hock (used a bone from a holiday ham)
1 pkg. (12 oz: about 1 2/3 cups) green split peas, rinsed and drained
1 can or bottle of beer (12 oz.)
6 cups water
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. whole mustard seeds, crushed
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
salt, check before you put in extra. The ham is already most likely salty.
Cook onions, carrots and celery in heated butter in a 5 1/2 to 6 quart pot over med. heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft but not browned. Add potato, ham hock, split peas, beer, water, thyme, mustard seed and cloves. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until ham and peas are very tender (2 to 2 1/2 hours), stirring occasionally.
Remove ham hock. When it is cool enough to handle, remove and disgard bones, skin and fatty pieces. Return meat to to soup in large chunks. Blend in vinegar. Taste and add salt if needed.
Homemade croutons optional.