Cioppino

The latest edition of Bon Appetit (March 2013) arrived in my mailbox and as usual, there were at least a dozen recipes I want to try.  This weekend I tried my hand at making Cioppino, an Italian seafood stew.  It's one of The Husband's favorite dishes when we go to seafood restaurants and I have never made it at home.

A trip to my favorite fish store, Fitts was in order and after getting all of the necessary ingredients, including their in-store made fish stock, I got busy in the kitchen.  The recipe calls for bottled clam juice but I figured fish stock would make a better soup. I also cut back a tad on the red pepper flakes but actually could have left the measurements as stated. It was a little on the mild side. I also omitted the step at the end that calls for adding butter to the soup.  Who needs the extra calories??  Though there appears to be a lot of steps to this recipe, it went together very easily.  This recipe states serves 6-8 so I cut it in half for the two of us and we'll have leftovers tomorrow. 

For the photo shoot, I left the seafood in their shells. But in actuality, when it came time to serve I deshelled the clams and mussels because really,  who wants to deal with those shells at the dinner table (or in the TV room if truth be told!)  I got the words of approval from The Husband when he stated "This is the best soup ever."  Praise indeed!

Cioppino
(Serves 6-8)
Broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup dry white wine
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
2 8-ounce bottles clam juice (or 16 ounces of fish stock)
4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 pounds any mix of mussels (debearded), clams, or cockles, scrubbed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 pound firm skinless white fish fillets (such as sea bass), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left intact
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Flat-leaf parsley leaves (for serving)

Toasted country bread, rubbed with garlic and olive oil (for serving)

Preparation
Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes; stir until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add wine. Return pot to heat, bring to a boil, and cook until wine is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices, crushing with your hands as you add them.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15-20 minutes. Add clam juice, parsley, bay leaves, and 8 cups water; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until flavors meld, 10-15 minutes more. Discard parsley sprigs and bay leaves. DO AHEAD: Broth can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool slightly; chill until cold. Cover and keep chilled. Reheat before continuing.

Soup
Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add shallot; stir often until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; add mussels and wine. Set over medium-high heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shells open (discard any that do not open), about 4 minutes.

Add reserved broth; bring to a simmer. Add fish and shrimp. Cover; cook just until opaque, about 4 minutes. Stir in butter; season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls; top with parsley. Serve with toast.

West African Chicken Peanut Soup

It is raining and grey with nothing ahead but the same in the forecast and I have a killer cold that won't go away and I want soup. I want soup that will warm me from head to toe with a little kick to try and clear the sinuses that seem to be clogged with cement. 

I ran across this wonderful recipe from a fellow Oregonian's blog, Wives with Knives.  The author speaks of having a rendition of this soup at a local McMenamins restaurant, which is exactly where I first tried it.  And let me tell you, the first bite I had knocked my socks off, it was so good.  For you non-Oregonians, McMenamins are a chain of establishments including restaurants, pubs, funky hotels, and entertainment venues around the state. The ones I've been to are all amazing.  Check out their website if you are interested in reading more about this interesting corporation.

This soup went together in no time and the results were fantastic and very much like the restaurant version I have had many times.  This will definitely be a go-to recipe in my soup repertoire.  It was everything I needed and I do believe I can breathe a little more clearly now!
 
West African Chicken Peanut Soup

1 cup diced cooked chicken
2/3 cup diced onion
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup chopped stewed tomatoes, drained
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter

In a large pot, saute the chicken, onion and garlic in the sesame oil until the onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the curry powder, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, and saute 1 minute more.

Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, tomato paste, stewed tomatoes and peanut butter, stirring until well combined. Heat until very hot, but not boiling. Serve immediately

Snow and Soup

Today we experienced our first snow of the winter.  Only a dusting but still lovely as it is Sunday and tomorrow is a holiday so no need to worry about traveling to work.  What a perfect day to make a pot of soup.

We have a wonderful company here in Oregon called Bob's Red Mill and they make the most amazing whole grain, flour, beans, and a plethora of other natural products. I found a package of their 13 Bean Soup Mix at the store last week and the variety of colorful beans looked so fantastic.  Knowing I had a ham bone in the freezer left over from Christmas I knew that a bean soup just had to be made. 

This soup turned out so well.  It is hearty yet it is made with no added fat so it is also healthy. It has just the right amount of heat from the chili powder without being overwhelming and the cumin gives it some added flavor dimension. A great soup to have on a snowy Sunday and leftovers for lunches throughout the week.  Perfect!

13 Bean Soup

2 cups 13 Bean Soup Mix

1 Ham Hock
1 cup chopped onion
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 15 oz can tomato sauce or 1 quart tomatoes
1-1/2 tsp to 1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground coumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic or 2 tsp garlic powder

Wash and soak 13 Bean Soup Mix overnight.

Drain and rinse beans. In a large pot, bring 2-1/2 quarts water to boil with beans and ham hock. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.  Remove ham hock and let it cool. Remove any meat from the bone, chop it into small pieces and return it to the pot.

Saute in another pan, chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, pepper,chili powder, cumin, and garlic.   Add the sauteed vegetables and the tomatoes into the soup pot. Simmer 30 minutes.

Makes about 8 servings.

Soup's On!

I'm ready to admit it. It's Fall.  The leaves appear on fire on all the trees here in my town, labeled a Tree City, USA.  It's gorgeous. It's also frosty in the mornings and chilly at night and the furnace is up and running. 

All of this means only one thing; it's time to make soup.  I have it in my mind that this winter I am going to experiment with more soup recipes.  I have been clipping and bookmarking recipes like crazy.  We'll see if my enthusiasm continues throughout the cold months ahead.

This is a great recipe that I have been seeing on fellow food bloggers sites for some time now. It sounded so warm and substantial for a soup dinner and it was that.  Served with a piece of Texas garlic toast, it was a wonderful meal.  This would be a great meal for after work if the potatoes are baked ahead of time.  Enjoy!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
1/2 chopped yellow onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
2 Tbsp. corn starch
2 Tbsp water
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4  cup chopped green onions, divided

Preheat oven to 400°.
Bake potatoes at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Cut up two of the potatoes into bite size cubes, skin on.  Scoop out the flesh of the other two potatoes and mash well. Discard skins. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, fry bacon until crisp then take out of pan. Reserve 1 Tbsp. bacon fat in pan. Add butter and melt.  Add onions and garlic and saute until soft. Do not brown.  Add milk, chicken broth, all of the potatoes, seasoning. Heat until hot but not boiling. Add 3/4 cups of the cheese and cook until melted.

Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl and stir into a slurry.  Add to soup and cook until soup thickens.  Add bacon bits, reserving a few for tops of soup bowls.

Ladle soup into bowls. Top with green onions, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and a dollop of sour cream.  Serves 4.

Heirloom Tomato Soup

I just have to make recipes right now to use up the bounty of tomatoes coming from our garden.  With many, many days of 85-95 degree weather in the middle of September, the tomatoes have decided to ripen all at once.  The picture below is one Sunday morning's harvest.  As there are just The Gardener and The Cook  in our home, I look for recipes that will freeze for the future and this fits the bill.

This recipe comes from Lynne Rossetto Kasper's wonderful site for her radio show on PBS called The Splendid Table.  If any of you foodies out there haven't discovered her weekly hour long radio show devoted to all things good in food and wine, you must tune in.  Of course
it's available to download via podcast so there is no excuse not to listen.  It is informative, inspirational for cooks, and often amusing. 

I used all yellow heirloom tomotoes and I opted not to serve this soup with the heavy cream called for.  I wanted to savor the wonderful, pure taste of tomatoes and basil in soup form.  Very delicious!

Heirloom Tomato Soup

Extra virgin olive oil
3 medium onions, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large cloves garlic, minced
Pinch hot red pepper flakes
1 generous tablespoon tomato paste
2-1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth (homemade preferred, but low sodium canned works, too)
A big handful fresh basil leaves, torn
15 medium or 10 large delicious ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped (do capture their juices for the soup)
1 cup whipping cream for serving

Generously film the bottom of a 12-quart pot with olive oil. Set over medium high heat. When warm, add onions and about 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions start to color.

Stir in the garlic, red pepper, and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute. Add broth, basil, and tomatoes. Bring to a lively simmer, cover the pot, and cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until tomatoes are softened and soup tastes fresh, but mellow. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Once soup has cooled, puree two-thirds in a blender or food processor. Rewarm or serve close to room temperature. The all-important finish is stirring a generous tablespoon of cream into each bowl.  This soup freezes well without the cream.  Serves 6-8.

Cooking with Beer

My challenge this weekend was to come up with a recipe using beer.  And not just any beer, but New Belgium Brewing Company brews.  I was recently the lucky recipient of a tidy stipend to try their products and I chose to buy some Fat Tire Amber Ale to cook with. I chose this particular beer based soley on the wonderful red bike on the six-pack. It's so darn fun!!  Tasting the beer by itself was delicious. I'm not a big beer fan, but this ale is just how I like it - a good malt flavor with the hops just ever so slightly coming through. A perfect beer by itself or served alongside you're favorite meal.

The two recipes I chose to make were a brand new creation and an old stand by. I made my never-fail and amazing no-knead bread which utilizes a small quantity of beer and I also devised a white cheddar cheese, beer, and broccoli soup.  For this soup I utilized a local cheese from the Willamette Valley Cheese Company.  I love their cheeses and try to buy them whenever I can.  They are so flavorful, particularly this Farmstead Cheddar and I like to buy locally made products whenever possible.

I'm not sure which dish accompanied which as they complimented each other so well.  The bread was so good dipped into the cheese soup. Almost like fondue only much thinner.  I garnished the soup with crisply sauteed and browned shallots which added a light carmelized onion flavor. 

Thanks so  much to the New Belgium Brewing Company for inspiring me to cook with beer. I will do it again very soon!

White Cheddar Cheese Beer Soup

1/2 c. flour
1/3 c. butter
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tbsp. grated shallot
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. white pepper
3 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. half & half
1 c. beer
2 cups of broccoli flowerettes, steamed
16 oz. shredded sharp white Cheddar

In large saucepan melt butter; stir in flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Add garlic, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, mustard and pepper; blend well.

Gradually stir in chicken broth, half & half and beer; cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add cheese, stir until melted. Add the broccoli. Heat gently, stirring frequently; do not boil. Serve with croutons and/or crusty bread. Makes seven (1 cup) servings. 

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a stipend to purchase products from the New Belgium Brewing Company.

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

With the last little tidbits of turkey left from Thanksgiving it was time to make soup, and what a satisfying soup it was.  A few years ago I read about making turkey stock prior to turkey day and freezing  it so it is on hand for the gravy, which is what I do each year.

This exercise entails buying a few turkey wings, which I find out Whole Foods or a local grocery store, if I'm lucking.  I roast those for 45 minutes to an hour until they are nice a browned then throw them in a stock pot with the usual soup makings including water, celery, carrots, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, fresh thyme and a bay leaf.  This is left to simmer for a couple hours, strained, then refrigerated overnight.  In the morning, the fat is skimmed off the top and the stock is ready for the freezer. 

I had a leftover quart of stock which made the perfect base for my turkey wild rice soup.  This rice is something I buy at our local farmers market and it is a really nice blend of a variety of rices including, wild, red, brown and white rice.  The rest of the soup consisted of celery, carrots, some onion, frozen peas and the leftover turkey.  Serve with rolls or as I did, hot popovers and you have a great meal.

Thanksgiving 2010-The End!

Beef Barley Soup

These damp Fall days always make me want to bring out my favorite soup kettle and spend an hour or two in the kitchen cutting, chopping and stirring up a pot full of goodness.  This weekend beef barley soup was on the agenda.  My BFF Patti was talking about her husband's delicious vegetable barley soup he had made earlier in the week and it inspired me. 

This was a great recipe to make as I had everything I needed in the cupboard and freezer except for carrots.  I always like to cut up my own stew meat from a chuck roast. You know what you're getting that way.  Also, I just love the process of chopping up all of the veggies even though I have a fancy food processor that would do all that work in half the time.  It's such a therapeutic thing for me to do.  I get the radio on NPR and listen to the entertaining Saturday morning shows and before I know it, the soup is simmering away.

Serve this wonderful beef soup with a crusty piece of bread and a hearty glass of red wine for a delicious meal.  There will be plenty for leftovers throughout the week too!

Beef Barley Soup

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 pounds beef chuck stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks and patted dry
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 quarts beef stock or broth
1/4 pound medium pearled barley, rinsed in cool water and drained (NOT THE QUICK COOK!)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch slices
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 28-ounce cans plum tomatoes, drained (I cut these up before adding)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a 10- to 12-inch skillet. Add the garlic and cook until golden. Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the garlic. Working in batches, add a single layer of beef cubes to the skillet and sear on all sides. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon, and sprinkle with black pepper. Leave the remaining oil in the skillet, and set it aside.

In a 5-quart soup pot, bring the stock or broth to a simmer. Add the browned beef and rinsed barley, cover, and return to a full simmer. Reduce heat and cook gently for about 1 1/2 hours.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat and add the onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Stir in the oregano and thyme. Cover the skillet and cook over very low heat for about 15 minutes.

Transfer the vegetables to the simmering soup, then add the chopped tomatoes, peas and corn. Simmer for 15 minutes and add chopped fresh parsley before serving. Yield: about 10 servings

An Autumnal Soup

Sometimes I surprise even myself at my improvisation in the kitchen. Today was an example. It's Fall and there is such an abundance of squash in the stores so I picked up a couple lovelies; a small butternut and a delicato. They are two of my favorites but when I cook squash, I must eat them alone as The Husband hates them.

My usual cooking method is to roast them in a high oven with a sprinkle of olive oil, salt and pepper and eat as is. Roasting really brings out the natural sweetness in vegetables. Today I roasted the butternut squash and was going to have some for dinner as is, but then I had an inspiration to make soup. Don't they look like three butternut squash clogs?With no recipe in hand and being too lazy to go search my cookbooks or the Internet, I started in. I sauteed an onion in olive oil, white wine, salt and pepper until they were golden brown. I then pureed the roasted squash, onions and 1/2 can of low sodium chicken broth in the processor. I put this smooth, golden orange mixture into a pan, threw in about 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp of cumin and 1/4 tsp of thyme along with 1/2 cup of cream and let it simmer away.The results were divine!! It was a creamy, smooth and delicious soup if I do say so myself. I'd better write this recipe down quickly so next time I want Butternut Squash Soup I'll know just where to look - Pie O My!

Cream of Roasted Butternut Squash and Sauteed Onion Soup

1 medium sized butternut squash, roasted, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 medium onion, sauteed until golden brown
1 can low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup cream or half and half
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste


Puree the roasted squash , 1/2 can of chicken broth and sauteed onions in food processor until very smooth. Put mixture into a saucepan and add the rest of the chicken broth, spices and cream. Heat through on medium heat. Adjust seasonings as needed. Serve with a topping of sauteed onions and enjoy.

The Last Saturday Market

I attended the last Saturday Market of the season in Salem, Oregon on Halloween. It was so festive and fun, with lot's of kids dressed up in costume. One lady had in tow 5 kids who were dressed up perfectly as the entourage from The Wizard of Oz. They were so darned cute and I was just kicking myself for not having my camera with me, as many folks were stopping them and asking them to pose.

I did purchase some colorful potatoes in red, brown and purple as well as some beautiful kale. I just had to make some soup with the kale. It is a great green for soup as it stands up so well when reheated. With no recipe in mind, I went through the cupboards/freezer and took stock looking for other ingredients to make a nice Fall soup.I came up with a white bean, sausage and kale concoction that turned out just as I'd hoped. Hearty, warm and perfect with a slice of the no knead bread and a glass of sturdy red wine. I always say I hate the Fall but I may have to change my mind on that one. It's the perfect weather for soup making!White Bean, Sausage and Kale Soup

3 medium size sausages, cut in slices

1/2 diced yellow onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 carrot peeled and diced

1 celery stick, diced

1 1/2 cups white beans (I used Northern white beans), soaked overnight

6-8 leaves of kale, washed well and cut into bite sized pieces

1 quart chicken stock

3 cups water

1/2 tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

Saute sausage pieces until just brown. Remove from pot. Add onions and saute until slightly browned. Add garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, bay leaf, chicken stock and water. Mix together. Add soaked beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, put on lid and cook until beans are softned. Add kale and sausage and simmer for another 20 minutes or so until kale is soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Asian Noodle Soup with Chicken and Snow Peas

One of my go to sources for quick, easy and tasty recipes is Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. It has usually has such a great variety of different items each month, from main meals to desserts and the ingredients used are easy to find in most peoples cupboards or at the local grocery store. They are also usually fast on a weeknight which is a "good thing" as Martha would say.

A recipe I recently tried was the Asian Noodle Soup with Chicken and Snow Peas in the latest edition, May 2009, issue 62. I am a big fan of Asian noodle soups, be it Chinese noodle soup or my very favorite - Vietnamese Pho beef noodle soup which I get at a local Vietnamese restaurant. The trouble is with every recipe I see for Pho, there is usually such a long list of ingredients and lengthy cooking time, I've always been too lazy to tackle it.

This recipe looked like it might be a good chickeny subsitute without all of the time and trouble. It turned out well but there were certainly not the complex flavors and aromas of a Pho. It is a nice light soup with lots of good, slurpy noodles to satisfy that craving. I do recommend a shot or two of chili sauce to finish it off and give it a bit of a kick.Asian Noodle Soup with Chicken and Snow Peas

8 oz. rice noodles

2 cans (14.5 oz) reduced sodium chicken broth

1 piece of lemon grass (3 inches) smashed

1 piece of peeled fresh ginger (1 inch) cut into matchsticks

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced crosswise

1/2 lb. snow peas, trimmed and halved

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (I didn't use this ingredient)

Asian chili sauce (such as Sriracha)

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles per package directions. Drain noodles and set aside. In a saucepan, combine chicken broth, lemongrass, ginger and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until fragrant, about 10 minutes.

In a fine mesh strainer, strain broth and return to saucepan. Add chicken and snow peas and simmer until chicken is cooked through and snow peas are tender. Remove soup from heat and stir in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, pour soup over noodles. Top with mint, additional lime wedges and chili sauce if desired.

A Chicken in Every Pot

On a cold, windy almost Spring day, nothing fits the bill like a steamy bowl of chicken noodle soup. As a child I adored Campbell's chicken noodle soup with it's overdone noodles and it's microscopic small bits of chicken and overly salty broth. My taste buds have matured (an understatement at best!) and I like to make my own chicken stock and then doctor it up with a variety of fresh vegetables and wonderful egg noodles. There are times when I make this soup when it is more of a bowl of veggies and chicken with a little moisture thrown in versus a soup. But however it turns out, it's always very satisfying and comforting.I am not going to write out a recipe for this as I don't really have one. I just make a light chicken stock, cut the chicken off the bone when cooked, simmer a variety of vegetables in the broth and in the end, put the chicken pieces back in along with pre-cooked egg noodles. I have found trying to cook the noodles in the broth doesn't always work and the noodles tend to be undercooked.

Split Pea Soup

Winter (or nearly Winter) always brings out my need for making big vats of soups and stews. Since it's just The Husband and myself, these cooking adventures always leave lots and lots of leftovers. We don't mind eating the same thing 2-3 nights in a row but that's as far as I go. I can and have put leftovers away in the freezer but what usually happens is that I forget about them and then 2 years later I find some unidentified tubs in there and I have no idea what they are. You see dear readers, when it comes to the skills of homemaking, I'm no Martha Stewart. No labeling and dating things for me. Nope, it's just a big hodgepodge in my freezer.

The crux of this story is that I made a big pot of split pea soup today and I am going to package up a couple of portions to take to my beloved mother-in-law who is recovery from major surgery. So we will have a lovely Sunday dinner of soup and bread and she will have a few meals too and I will not be faced with the leftover dilemma. A win-win situation for all!

Split Pea Soup

1 meaty hamhock (I buy mine from a local butcher and they are the BEST!)

1 lb. split peas

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced carrot

1 tsp salt (or to taste depending on the saltiness of the hamhock)

1 tsp pepper (or more to taste)

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp dried thyme

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups water

In a large stockpot, saute vegetables in 2 Tbsp oil until onions are translucent. Add split peas and cook for 1 minute. Add spices and stir in. Add chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and add hamhock. Partially cover pan and let simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours or until split peas are mushy. Take out bay leaf and hamhock and shred meat off bone. Return meat to soup pot. Serve with your favorite crusty bread or crackers.