Yellow Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham

The rainy season began today and the weather has cooled a bit. A perfect day for soup. Hearty soup. Carrot and celery are often added to split pea soup, but I was out of both and feeling lazy, so I went with onion and garlic. This recipe is inexpensive to make and will warm you up on a cold, rainy day.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 bay leaf
1 lb package dried yellow split peas
1 large smoked ham hock
10 cups water
Tabasco to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Let it heat up for a minute and then add the onions. Stir for a few minutes then add the garlic, thyme, and bay leaf and stir again. Add the split peas and ham hock. Pour in the water and simmer the soup for 2 hours, stirring often. Remove the ham from the bone and add back to the soup and stir in. Serve hot with homemade bread. Makes 6-8 servings.

Garlic Roasted Broccoli

This broccoli is garlicky and delicious. When broccoli is roasted the heat concentrates the flavors and caramelizes the natural sugars. That sweetness, mixed with the garlic and crushed red pepper in the recipe makes this a flavorful broccoli dish with a kick. 

4 cups broccoli florets

8 cloves minced garlic

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Crushed red pepper to taste
Ground tellicherry black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss broccoli in a bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, red pepper, and pepper. 

Place on a medium baking sheet covered with parchment paper and roast until the broccoli is tender and a bit darkened on the bottom, 12 or so minutes. The broccoli should have a nice crunch.