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Family Recipe Friday - French Canadian Pea Soup

After a Sunday night supper of ham, we could always count on Monday night’s meal to be a warming bowl of pea soup. My mother a French Canadian never missed an opportunity to use the leftover ham bone turn it into a comfort bowl of French- Canadian pea soup during these long winter months. 

Pea soup dates back 500 B.C.; it was a street food back then, as vendors would sell bowls in the streets of Athens. Many cultures have adapted the pea soup; however, the most well known version remains the French-Canadian Classic Pea Soup.

Here is my mother’s recipe for Pea Soup, note she uses green split peas, although I understand in Quebec they typically use yellow peas, I have never known her to do use yellow.

Mom’s French-Canadian Pea Soup

1 Leftover ham bone, with some fat and meat still on the bone.
Ham leftover from Sunday night’s meal
1 bag of dried split green peas
1 onion diced fine
A couple of bay leaves
Salt and Pepper
Wash and rinse peas. Put the ham bone in a large stockpot, cover with water, and add bag peas, diced onion, and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil and simmer for a couple of hours until peas are soft.  Add more water as needed.  Remove ham bone and bay leaves. Add leftover ham, and season with salt and pepper to taste. 
Serve with a homemade loaf of bread. Nothing says comfort food and family more than this warming and satisfying meal. 

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