Split Pea And Ham Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb dried split peas
5 cups fresh chicken broth or 5 cups canned chicken broth
5 cups water
1 meaty ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks
2 stalks celery, diced
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 cup carrot, diced
1 cup onion, chopped
1 leek, white part only, rinsed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
salt, to taste

Preparation

Soak and rinse peas for 20 minutes. In a 6-quart pot, combine water, chicken broth, and peas. Bring to a boil. Add ham bone (or ham hocks), carrots, celery, onions, leek, tarragon, and 1 tablespoon parsley, Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally for 1 hour. Remove from heat.
Remove ham bone or ham hocks and shred meat from bone. Remove any excess fat and return meat to pot. Add sherry, pepper, remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, and salt to taste. Heat through. (I like to mash up some of the peas and carrots for a thicker soup).
Serve immediately.