French Canadian Pea Soup

This is a wonderful soup to have on a very cold winter’s day whether it was walking along a stormy beach, skating or skiing or just wanting a little comfort food.

Serves 8

• 1 lb. whole dried yellow peas
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 lb. salt pork (better yet, ham bone)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, ribs removed, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup carrot, grated fine
• 1 tsp dried savory
• 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped fine
• 1 tsp salt

Wash and sort peas, place in large pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit for one hour.

Add the salt pork (ham bone) onion, red pepper, celery, carrots, savory and 1 tsp salt.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until peas are very tender (about two hours) adding more water, if required. Remove salt pork (ham bone) and chop the meat and return it to the soup.

Take one half of the soup and slowly puree in a blender and add back to the soup. Be sure to let it cool down a little or it will explode.  Oh yes, it will…and your kitchen will look like a war zone. Just ask anyone that this has happened to and it wasn’t me!

This also freezes well so you can have leftovers for lunch a little later on.