Split Pea Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 leek, white part only,washed and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs ham hocks (preferably smoked)
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 pinch dried chili flakes (optional)
1 1/2 cups split peas
10 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
coarse salt
freshly cracked black pepper
additional stock or water, if needed to thin the soup

Preparation

Heat the butter in a Dutch oven or large soup pot on medium heat.
Add the onion, carrot, celery, leek, and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the ham hock, bay leaves, thyme, chile flakes and split peas and cook 2 minutes longer.
Increase heat to high.
Add the stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low.
Simmer soup, partially covered, for 2 hours or until split peas are soft, stirring occasionally.
Remove the ham hock and take meat off bone and reserve.
Discard the bay leaves and thyme stalks.
With a hand held blender smooth puree some of the soup.
If the soup is too thick add some more water or stock to loosen.
Return meat to the pot, bring back to a boil and add the chopped coriander& parsley.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve hot.