Julia Child’s Split Pea Soup with Ham

Julia Child’s Split Pea Soup is the best! This soup is one of my favorite things about having leftover ham. But you don’t have to wait for the next holiday ham; it can also be made with a couple of ham hocks.

It’s easy, but it takes time to make the ham stock. Try it, though, and you’ll see that it’s worth the extra time!

(Adapted from Julia Child’s recipe in The Way to Cook)

(printable recipe)

Serves 6

For the ham stock

Meaty ham bone and scraps from a ham, or 1 or more ham hocks

3 quarts water (or chicken stock)

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery, chopped and celery leaves

An herb bouquet: 3 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon thyme, 5 cloves tied in cheesecloth

(If you have Caphalon pots with lids like mine, you can put 3 corks under the lid handle. They fit tightly in the space, can stay there practically forever, and they give you a way to lift the lid without a potholder.)

1. Put all of the stock ingredients in a large pot and simmer, with the lid askew, for 4 hours.

2. Strain the broth and discard the vegetables and ham scraps (They have given their life for the broth.)

At this point you can make the soup, or you can refrigerate or freeze the stock to use later.

For the soup

3 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup diced celery

2/3 cup diced onions

1 cup diced carrots

3 tablespoons flour

2 quarts ham stock

1 ½ cups split peas

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Garnish: ½ cup diced ham sautéed in butter (or 1½ cups croutons)

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1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onions, and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the flour, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.

3. Add the stock and split peas. Simmer, with the lid askew, for 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Use an immersion blender in the pot to blend the soup. (I like to blend it until about half of it is blended and there are still some chunks left.) Alternatively, put some of the soup in a blender. Fill it only half full, and hold the lid on securely with a pot holder.

5. Serve with the sautéed ham (or croutons) as a garnish.

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