The original recipe is from Vesta’s column in Melbourne’s Argus, in July 1922, but the recipe for Split Pea and Ham Soup, made with the leftover Christmas ham, doesn’t really change much. Both recipes called for the dried peas to be soaked overnight, but split died green peas don’t seem to require soaking. The main difference between Vesta’s recipe and the one in the Women’s Weekly Original Cookbook from 1970 is that the Weekly’s has less water or stock and isn’t thickened with a white roux.
I’m going with the Weekly, but Vesta’s alternative recipe is here, too.
Unlike both recipes, I make the stock first, strain, allow to cool and skim off the fat.
Stock
1 ham bone, skin and fat removed
8 cups water
Onion
Bay leaf
Bring ham bone, water, onion and bay leaf to the boil. Reduce heat, simmer, skimming well, until meat is falling off the bone, approx 60 to 90 mins. Cool. Remove meat from bone, and dice. Discard ham bone, onion and bay leaf. Set stock and diced ham aside.
Split Pea and Ham Soup
250g green split peas
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 potato or small sweet potato, peeled and diced (optional)
1.5 litres stock
Reserved ham
Fresh or dried mint
Wash split peas well, drain. Put peas in a saucepan with diced vegetables. Bring slowly to the boil, skim well. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about an hour, or until peas are tender. Stir in diced ham. Season with salt and pepper. A little finely-chopped fresh mint can be added before serving.
Alternatively, Vesta’s recipe calls for the onion, carrot and split peas to be sautéed in one rounded tablespoon of dripping (or butter) for 5 minutes. Add 8 cups (2 litres) of water or stock and simmer until the peas are tender. Pass the soup through a sieve, return to the pot and heat, then stir through one level tablespoon of flour dissolved in cold water. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Both recipes suggest topping the soup with small sippets of cubed bread, sautéed in butter, dripping or oil. Vesta suggests adding some dried powdered mint as well.
