I have blogged before about my vegetarian leanings. However, there are five reasons that I will never become a true vegetarian that take the form of favorite recipes. Some carnivorous people can't imagine giving up hamburgers or pepperoni pizza. I can't imagine giving up the ham in my split pea soup. Yes, I know that it would be quite simple to make a vegetarian split pea soup by adding more vegetables in place of the ham. But just because something is culinarily possible doesn't mean that it's advisable (there many episodes of Chopped which prove this point). Split pea soup needs ham to reach its full potential.
- 1 pound green split peas
- 7 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups cooked ham, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
Rinse peas. Combine peas, water, ham, onion, salt, pepper, and marjoram in a dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Add celery and carrots. Cook uncovered for 75 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and the soup has thickened.
Enjoy! (especially the ham)
Note: This soup will solidify into a jelly-like state when refrigerated. Add a small amount of water to leftover soup before reheating.