Pea and Ham Soup

Have you got half a ham left in the freezer from Christmas? 

Were you like me, and when you had had enough, you just bundled it up in an old bread bag and threw it in the freezer to deal with another day?

Then this is it! A super delicious and filling way to use up that leftover ham.
Serve with plenty of chunky bread to mop up all the goodness.

I often make this with pork hocks when we process our pigs too.

It can be made in your magic pot or on the stove top.  
The only difference is time.
The process will be the same.

When I make the initial broth I like to use any veggie peelings I have put aside in the freezer, or I simply chop up any ugly veggies from the veggie garden. They may not look good on your dinner plate, but will make a very delicious broth. Don’t use too many brassicas, as their flavour is quite strong.

Place your ham in a large pot (5 litre capacity), and add your vegetables. As well as an onion and a carrot (both roughly chopped).

Pop in some black pepper and a bay leaf and cover with water before pressure cooking.
If you do not have a pressure cooker then the stove top will just fine. It just takes a few hours. The result will be just the same.

Once the meat is falling off the bone or is soft and falling part, strain the broth and discard the vegetables. Remove all the good meat and chop it up into small pieces.

Place the broth and the meat back into your pot and add dried split peas, red lentils, grated carrots and vegetable stock.

Pressure cook for 15 more minutes 
(Or simmer on the stove top for an additional 30 minutes).

And enjoy.
This is perfect for filling tummies on cold days.

Can we also just talk about how great the instant pot lids are for resting on the side of the pressure cooker!

When you go to reheat the soup it will be gluggy. Simply some boiling water to loosen the soup and get the consistency you are after.

Pea and Ham Soup

A super fast filling magic pot recipe, which also has the same yummy results on the stove top.

  • Pressure Cooker

Ham and vegetable broth

  • 1 Left over ham (or pork hocks) (A way to use up any left over Christmas ham, or use pork hocks.)
  • 1 onion (roughly chopped)
  • 1 carrot (roughly chopped)
  • Any veggie peelings or discarded/soft/ugly veggies from the vegetable drawer or garden. (to make a good broth)
  • Water (to fill to the pots capacity)
  • black pepper (a few grinds from the pepper mill)
  • 1 bay leaf (optional)

Pea and Ham Soup

  • 1 Broth (with veggies discarded)
  • Chopped ham
  • 2 cups dreid split peas
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 2 grated carrots
  • vegetable stock (enough to make up to the 5 litre capacity )

Ham and vegetable broth

  1. Place your ham in a large pot (5 litre capacity).

  2. Along with your selection of vegetables and veggie peelings.

  3. Add a few grinds of black pepper and a bay leaf.

  4. Pressure cook for 30 minutes.

    Or if you are using the stove top – simmer for 2 hours until the meat begins to full from the bone, or gets so soft it falls apart.

Pea and Ham Soup

  1. Strain the broth and discard the vegetables.

  2. Remove all the good meat and chop it up into small pieces.

  3. Place the broth back into your pot and add your split peas, red lentils and grated carrot.

  4. Fill with vegetable stock until the 5 litre capacity.

    You could simply use water and add some dried vegetable stock.

  5. Pressure cook for 15 minutes.

    Or an additional 30 minutes on the stove top.

  6. Serve with chunky bread to mop up all the goodness.

  7. This will keep in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for a few months.

    When you go to reheat the soup it will be gluggy.  Simply some boiling water to loosen the soup and get the consistency you are after.