Kat's Favorite Pea and Lentil Soup

 This recipe is my wife Kat's all time favorite soup. This is actually strange since my wife hates peas in their normal form including when she comes across one in vegetable soup. I've never been able to wrap my head around this since, to me, pea soup tastes like, well, peas! I will say this, it might because I avoid the traditionally mushy aspect of pea soup by adding lentils and course chopped onions. This recipe is also a good example of my Hardscrabble cooking philosophy. When ever I cook a large piece of meat or a whole bird I always try to squeeze as many different meals out of it as possible without repeating the same meal twice. So ham dinner, then ham sandwiches, ham and cheese omelettes, jambalaya, butter cheese pasta with ham, frittatas, and then finally when we're down to the bone, soup! This is a perfect hearty winter soup so try a hot bowl with some good bread and a salad. I ga-run-tee you'll come back for more.

Ingredients:

1 meaty ham bone or two cups diced ham
2 cups split peas
1 cup lentils
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground thyme
2 bay leaves

Instructions:

Place the ham bone in a large sauce pan or stock pot and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and continue cooking with the pot covered until the meat pulls away from the bone. About two hours. If using diced ham you can skip this step. When the ham bone is done, pull it out of the pot and set it aside to cool. Add the peas, lentils, onion, celery, and garlic to the pot. If your using diced ham instead of a ham bone, add them now. Add water to cover well if needed. Bring back to a boil and then reduce to medium. Add the remaining ingredients. Continue cooking uncovered, stirring occasionally, and adding water as needed. As soon as the ham bone is cool enough to handle, remove the meat and dice it into 1/2 inch chunks and add back into the soup. Continue cooking until the peas are almost completely broken down but the lentils are still whole. About two to three hours. Remember, when cooking dried legumes, cooking times can vary depending on cooking altitude, water hardness, and how long your dried legumes have been stored. Always trust your senses and sample often! Add salt to taste and remove bay leaves before serving. Enjoy!