Portage Saint Germain Soup Split Pea With Ham Food

HAM AND SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Place the peas in a large pot or bowl, cover with water by 2 inches and soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain the peas and set aside.
• Score the ham hock. Place in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 1 hour. Drain and set aside.
• In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and cook, stirring, until just soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
• Add the ham hock and ham and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown. Add the drained peas, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes, and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add 8 cups of water, the bay leaf and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender, about 1 hour. (Add more water as needed, if the soup becomes too thick or dry.)
• Remove the bay leaf and discard. Adjust the seasoning, to taste, and serve immediately with Parmesan Truffled Chips on top.
• Using a mandolin or very sharp, heavy knife, slice the potatoes into rounds as thin as possible, and place in a large bowl of water to prevent discoloration.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot to between 340 and 350 degrees F.
• Pat the potatoes completely dry. Add to the oil in batches and cook until golden brown, stirring with a long handled spoon to turn and cook evenly, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and place in a large bowl. Toss with the cheese, truffle oil, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately.

PORTAGE SAINT GERMAIN SOUP (SPLIT PEA WITH HAM)

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, add the water, ham bone, chicken stock and split peas. Bring to a boil, skim the surface and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
• Add the leeks, carrots and celery. Simmer for 30 - 40 minutes until peas are soft. Remove bone to cool somewhat.
• Add the sugar, marjoram, pepper, milk and cream. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove the meat from the ham bone and add to the soup.

SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH HAM

Steps:

• 1. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over high heat. Add onions, carrots, garlic, and celery and saute until vegetables begin to brown, about 6 minutes.
• 2. Add ham hocks, chopped ham, bay leaves and water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 2 - 2 1/2 hours or until the ham is very tender.
• 3. Remove the ham hocks and bones. Shred meat into bite-sized pieces and return meat to stock. Discard bones, fat and gristle.
• 4. Add split peas and thyme. Simmer uncovered 1 hour 20 minutes or until peas dissolve and thicken soup.
• 5. Remove bay leaves. Serve with croutons.
• Additional Notes: Soup may be refrigerated for several days or frozen.
• Soup tends to be a bit salty depending on the ham you use. If you have really salty ham you may want to add a potato or two (chopped into bite size pieces) about an hour before the soup is finished.
• I use playtex gloves for handling the hot ham bones and shredding the meat so I don't have to wait for it to cool down.
• My family dislikes onions and celery so I leave the pieces particularly large and remove them when I remove the ham bones.

POTAGE SAINT-GERMAIN

Steps:

• Make the croutons:
• In a bowl drizzle the bread cubes with the butter, tossing them to coat them well, and in a shallow baking dish bake them in a preheated 350°F. oven, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the croutons are golden and crisp. Season the croutons with salt. The croutons may be made 1 day in advance and kept in an airtight container.
• Make the soup:
• In a large saucepan cook the leeks in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are softened, add the broth and 2 cups water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the peas and the lettuce and simmer the mixture, covered partially, for 10 minutes, or until the peas are tender. Stir in the mint and in a blender or food processor purée the soup in batches. The soup may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Return the soup to the pan, season it with salt and pepper, and reheat it over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is hot.
• In a small bowl beat the cream until it is thickened slightly but still pourable and season it with salt. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle drops of the cream on each serving, and draw a skewer or knife through the drops, forming decorative patterns. Serve the soup with the croutons.