Mrs. Schreiner's Split-pea Soup

Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon (about 1/4 pound)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 lb dried split peas
• 2 1/2 quarts water (or chicken broth)
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 bay leaf

Recipe

• 1 in a large heavy kettle or stock pot cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp and transfer to paper towels to drain.
• 2 pour off all but about 1/4 cup bacon fat from kettle and cook onions and carrots, stirring, until softened.
• 3 add remaining ingredients and simmer 2 hours uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding 1 to 2 cups more water (or broth) if soup becomes too thick.
• 4 remove kettle from heat and transfer ham hock with a slotted spoon to a cutting board.
• 5 discard fat and bones and chop meat.
• 6 return meat to kettle and simmer soup, stirring, until heated through.
• 7 discard bay leaf.
• 8 just before serving, crumble bacon and sprinkle over soup.
• 9 makes 8 cups.