PEA AND HAM SOUP.

Pork bones are not available all year round in the supermarket meat section, but you will be able to get the bones from your local butcher shop. Ingredients.....440 gm of dried split green peas, 750 gm of ham bones, 2.5 litres of water, 1 celery stick including leaves, chopped, 1 carrot, chopped, 1 onion, chopped, 3 leeks sliced, 1 potato, chopped. Place the split peas in a large bowl and cover with water. Leave to soak overnight. Drain and place the peas in a large pot along with the ham bones, water, celery, carrot and onion. Cover the pot with a lid and slowly bring to the boil over a medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup for 2 hours or until the peas are very soft. Add the potato and leek and cook for a further 30 minutes, until the vegtables are tender. Remove the bones from the soup, allow to cool and then cut off all the meat . Finely chop the meat and set aside. Transfer the soup to a large bowl to cool, then push it through a large wire seive back into the pot. Stir through the meat and slowly reheat the soup to serve. It is optional, but you can garnish with a small sprig of carrot leaves to serve.