Hearty Ham and Split Pea Soup with Potatoes

Name: Hearty Ham and Split Pea Soup with Potatoes
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 2.5 pounds, smoked ham, bone-in; 4 , bay leaves; 1 pound, split peas (2 1/2 cups), rinsed and picked through; 1 teaspoon, dried thyme; 2 tablespoons, olive oil; 2 , medium onions, chopped medium; 2 , medium carrots, chopped medium; 2 medium stalks, celery, chopped medium; 1 tablespoon, unsalted butter; 2 medium cloves, garlic, minced; Pinch, granulated sugar; 3 , small new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into medium dice; , Ground black pepper; , minced red onion (optional); , balsamic vinegar

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Appears in Cook's Illustrated March/April 1999, America's Test Kitchen TV

SERVES6

TIME3¾ to 4¼ hours

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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

After much testing we discovered that ham was indeed necessary for the best split pea soup recipe; broths made without ham tasted weak and those made with ham substitutions tasted processed. A ham bone was key to flavorful broth, and the te...

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