Winter, spring, summer or fall, a Delicious and Hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup has just got to be the favorite of them all.

Even it’s not winter, this soup is enjoyed all year round at home. Made in the pressure cooker, it’s ingredients are simple and results very satisfying. The option of adding potatoes and carrots is entirely up to you, but we love it.

Ingredients

1.5 kg smoked ham hock/Eisbein
1 packet split peas
2 tsp oregano
1 chicken stock pot
10 allspice berries crushed
3 carrots diced
3 potatoes cubed
1 tsp crushed black pepper
Salt, at your discretion, only if needed

Method:

Add split peas to pressure cooker pot.
Cover with water and cook on high for 15 minutes.
Discard the water and then rinse the peas.
(You can skip this step I just find if you don’t rinse the first boil the soup becomes very stodgy).
Add the ham hock, stock pot, oregano, pepper, allspice berries and bay leaves.
Fill the pot with fresh water and cook on high for 1-1 ½ hours (depending on the size of hock).
Now’s the time to check for salt.
Add the potatoes and carrots and cook on high for another hour.
You can check sooner, remove the meat from the bone and put it back into the pot and use an immersion blender to blend potatoes and carrots or leave it like I do until everything falls off the bone.
All you have to do is take the bone out of the pot, and you will be left with a bit of crunch in the veggies.
You may even have to top it up with more boiling water.
Discard bay leaves.

Prepared, tried and tested Melanie Kramar 

Oh yummy we have even more Delicious and Hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup to try out