Two Pea Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. butter
1 smoked ham hock
1/2 lb. dried split peas
4 c. low-salt chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 c. frozen peas, thawed

Preparation

In a kettle, cook the onion, celery, the carrots and the garlic in the butter, covered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until soft.
Add the ham hock, the split peas, the stock, the bay leaf and 2 cups of water.
Bring liquid to boil, skimming froth, and cook soup, covered partially, in a preheated 400\u00b0 oven for 1 hour.
Transfer ham hock to cutting board; cool slightly and cut meat into small pieces.
Stir meat into soup; season with salt and pepper and discard bay leaf.
Just before serving, stir in thawed peas and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.