• 2 cups of dry split peas, any ol’ kind will do
• 1/4 cup of butter, not margarine
• 2 small yellow onions or one large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, to taste
• 8 cups of organic chicken broth
• Ham steak, 3/4 lb., chopped
• handful of fresh parsley sprigs
• 3 bay leaves
• 1-1/4 tsp dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped

Step one: Pour your split peas in a large bowl and comb your fingers through them. Make sure there are no small rocks or other alien objects in your dried peas. Discolored peas are no big deal.

Step two: Melt the butter in a stock pot over medium heat and saute, all at once, the onions, carrot, celery and garlic until almost translucent.

Step three: Add chicken stock, peas, ham, parsley sprigs, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to boil, then lower to a simmer for one and a half hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let sit for several hours.

Step four: Add chopped parsley to cooled soup. Reheat only as much soup as you need, adding salt and pepper to each bowl according to taste.

Makes about six servings. Refrigerate leftover soup.

Source: Original recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma.