Split Pea, Potato, Ham and Leek Soup

By kayjayjohnson

Ingredients

• 2 leeks, sliced thin, washed and rinsed very well
• 1 large onion, diced
• 8 baby red potatoes, diced into bite size pieces
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, I used 2 large ones
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 ham bone
• 1 1/2 cups dried split peas
• 3 cups chicken broth, if using homemade stock, be sure to adjust the salt accordingly
• 3 cups water
• salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Set the crockpot on high and then layer the leeks, onion and potatoes into the bottom of the pot. Then add the ham bone, split peas, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Pour the chicken broth and water on top of everything.

Let this cook on high for 4-6 hours, or until the peas disintegrate into the broth and the potatoes are tender. Use a fork to remove and shred any remaining meat from the ham bone. Then remove the bone from the soup. Remove the bay leaves as well and then stir the soup.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. At this point, you can adjust the heat to a lower setting. I switched from high to low after about 4 hours and then kept the soup simmering on low for another couple hours and allowed it to thicken a bit while I waited until dinnertime.