DUTCH SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Wash and sort peas.
• Combine peas, water, salt, pepper, bay leaf and thyme in a large pot or Dutch oven.
• Press cloves into onion, and add to pot (if using a ham hock you may wish to add it now so it becomes more tender- but NOT the smoked sausage, as they split if overcooked).
• Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender, about 1 hour.
• Remove the onion and bay leaf.
• Puree soup through a coarse sieve or in batches in the blender (be careful not to burn yourself!); return mixture to the pot.
• (I like to leave a little bit not pureed for texture).
• Add potatoes, ham, sausage.
• leek and celery.
• Simmer uncovered about 25-35 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
• Taste for seasoning and garnish soup with chopped parsley before serving.