A Modern starter dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 20 min
Total time: 3 h

Organic sourcing

Carrots, celery, and spinach are on the Dirty Dozen list, so it's worth sourcing organic for better quality and to reduce pesticide exposure.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 500 g dried split peas, rinsed
• 1.5 liters water
• 1 bay leaf
• 400 g ham hock
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the onion is translucent.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
4. Add the split peas, water, bay leaf, and ham hock to the pot.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover.
6. Simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender.
7. Remove the ham hock and let it cool slightly.
8. Shred the meat from the bone and return it to the soup.
9. Add dried thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Cook the soup for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Notes

• For a smoother soup, blend part of the cooked peas before adding the shredded ham back.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Modern recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.