Recipe By: Paul Harsha (adapted from package)
Ingredients:
1 ham bone
1/2 pound ham, chopped (if not enough on bone)
1 lb. dry split peas
1/2 cup frozen peas
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablepsoon butter
2 quarts water
2 bay leaves
1 lb. baby carrots, cut in thirds
1 can evaporated milk
1 tablespoon flour
salt, paprika, and white pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Empty package of split peas into a colander or bowl. Sort through well, removing foreign matter and imperfect peas. Rinse well. Soak for two hours in 2 cups water.
2. Cut any remaining ham off the ham bone, reserve.
3. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté minced garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil until garlic is golden, but not brown in color. Add ham bone, paprika, split peas, soaking liquid, 2 quarts of water, and bay leaves.
4. Bring to a boil for 1 minute; skim.
5. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 1 hour.
6. Remove cover and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Skim again.
7. Remove ham bone and bay leaves. Pick any meat off the ham bone and add to reserve.
8. Process soup using an immersion blender. Add baby carrots.
9. Simmer soup for 30 minutes.
10. Remove one cup of liquid. Whisk flour with liquid. Add back to soup.
11. Remove another cup of liquid. Puree with frozen peas and stir in to soup.
12. Stir in evaporated milk.
13. Remove any fat or gristle from reserved ham. Chop roughly and add to soup.
14. Cook 10 minutes, or until soup is at desired consistency.
15. Season to taste with salt and pepper.