Easy Green Pea and Bacon Soup Recipe

I found some inexpensive bacon scraps at a farmer's market recently. Just perfect for a green pea and bacon soup like the one my mother used to make. This recipe is a popular variant of ham and pea soup which is usually made with gammon and yellow peas. But what made this recipe popular in my family kitchen was readily available, inexpensive dried marrowfat peas and leftover bacon, ham or gammon. Here is how I made it.

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg ham, bacon, gammon leftovers
• 1 pack Batchelor's Quick Soak peas
• Seasoning

Preparation

• Prepare a ham stock by boiling a hambone or scraps of leftover bacon or ham in about a litre of water for a half hour or more (a couple of hours is even better)
• Chop the bacon into very small pieces and boil it in 750ml of the stock for at least 20 minutes
• Prepare the Quick Soak peas as directed on the package (plan ahead, they have to be soaked for 2 hours before use). The finished peas should be moist and mushy
• Stir the peas into the stock and return to the boil, season with garlic, chives, salt and pepper, then simmer for another half hour or so (until it thickens) before serving

John's Notes
This recipe makes a very filling and nutritious thick soup. I served mine with homemade garlic bread (melt some butter in a pan over gentle heat, add powdered garlic to taste, stir in chopped fresh or dried chives then pour over toasted bread). The smell of this soup, while it is cooking, will drive you crazy.