Pea & Ham Soup

It's starting to cool right down in Perth so it's definitely feeling a lot more like soup weather!  Both my kids love this soup, which is always a great sign that whatever I have cooked is a winner!  Also, make sure that you use nitrate-free ham or bacon in this recipe.  I get mine from a farmers market not far from where I live, and it's also available at some IGA supermarkets and some butchers.  So it's worth asking around and finding out!

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp duck fat (or other cooking fat)
250g nitrate-free bacon, rind removed, cut into chunks
1/2 zucchini, peeled, cut into chunks
1 cup yellow or green split peas, rinsed
1L vegetable stock (Campbell's) OR 1L water + 1 tbsp Thermomix vegetable stock concentrate
Herbamare, sea salt & pepper to taste

Chopped fresh parsley and extra cracked pepper to garnish

Method:
1. Heat a large pot on medium heat and add the cooking fat, diced onion and minced garlic.  Cook, stirring, until onion has softened.

(In Thermomix, add halved onion and garlic cloves.  Chop 5sec/sp6.  Add cooking fat.  Cook 2min/100deg/sp1).

2.  Add chunks of bacon and zucchini and cook, stirring, until bacon is slightly browned.

(In Thermomix, add zucchini and bacon.  Chop 5sec/sp7.  Cook 1min/100deg/sp1).

3.    Add split peas and stock.  Bring to the boil, stirring.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook for around 25 minutes or until peas are soft and cooked through.

(In Thermomix, add split peas and stock, ensuring that the liquid level does not exceed the 2L mark.  Cook 25min/90deg/sp2.  Check that the peas are soft and cooked through).

4.  Season with salt, pepper and Herbamare.  Puree the soup with a stick blender.  Adjust seasonings if necessary.  Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and extra cracked pepper.

(In Thermomix, season with salt, pepper and Herbamare, then puree for 30 seconds by slowly turning the dial to speed 7.  Adjust seasonings if necessary and serve with chopped fresh parsley and extra cracked pepper).