Pease Porridge Hot

For many people, rainy weather is the excuse they need to get into the kitchen, pull out a stockpot and make a batch of soup. Stash a few ingredients in the freezer and on the pantry shelf and you’ll be ready when the next round of storms heads this way.

Soups, especially those made with dried legumes, require long, slow simmering. The nice thing, is that during the cooking, they need only intermittent attention.

The legume family includes beans, peas and lentils. Most dried beans require soaking before cooking, but this step is omitted with peas and lentils.

To make old-fashioned split pea soup, place either a ham bone or a couple of ham hocks in a stockpot with 2 quarts of water. Add a stalk of celery, a bay leaf, a chopped onion (Step 1) and some salt and pepper.

After bringing the mixture to a boil, stir in the peas (Step 2). Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.

By this time most of the meat will have fallen off the bones. Lift them out with a pair of tongs (Step 3) and after cooling slightly, remove any remaining meat.

Pour the rest of the soup mixture through a strainer or colander (Step 4). Remove the chunks of meat and set aside; discard the bay leaf, fat and any small bones.

Press the last of the mixture through the sieve with a rubber spatula (Step 5), then stir the soup well. If a thinner soup is desired, add more water.

Return the meat to the strained soup (Step 6) along with the kielbasa, cut into chunks or slices. Heat through and serve the soup with warm crusty bread. (If you leave the kielbasa in chunks, it makes great sandwiches.)

SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH KIELBASA 1 ham bone or 2 large ham hocks 2 quarts water 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 bay leaf 1 onion, chopped 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 cups split peas 1 (1-pound) package kielbasa

Place ham bone and water in stockpot. Add celery, bay leaf, onion, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to boil, then stir in peas. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 3 to 4 hours or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Lift out large bones. Strain soup mixture through colander, pressing peas through to puree. Remove meat from bones and add to strained soup. Cut kielbasa into chunks or slices, add to soup and heat through. Makes 2 quarts soup, plus kielbasa, serving 6.

Note: Kielbasa may be removed and used for sandwiches to accompany soup.