Recipe - Pea And Ham Soup With Polenta Croutons

200 g Dried yellow split peas;
rinsed in cold
; water and drained
; (7oz)
1 One half l Water or chicken stock;
(2Three fourths pints)
1 small Carrot; peeled and cut into
; 3 pieces
1 small Onion; minced
One fourth Leek; minced
Ham or pork bone; weighing
; approximately
; 650900g (1One half
; 2lb), meat removed
; and minced
2 Bay leaves
Salt & freshly ground black
pepper
30 ml Fillipo Berio Extra Virgin
Olive; (2tbsp)
Oil
4 sl Dellugo Fresh Polenta
slices; minced
5 ml Fresh sage; chopped (1tsp)

Place the peas and water in a large heavybased saucepan, bring to the boil
and skim. Add the carrot, onion, leek, ham or pork bone, half the minced ham
or pork, bay leaves and seasoning.

Cover and bring to the boil and simmer for 3540 minutes or until the peas
are tender.

Remove the bone and bay leaves. Place the soup in a food processor and
process until almost smooth. Return to a clean saucepan, heat gently and
adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Heat the oil in frying pan until hot, add the polenta, remaining minced ham
and sage and fry for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Divide soup between 4 large bowls, garnish with the polenta, sage and ham
and serve with warm wholemeal bread.

Converted by MC_Buster.

NOTES : The stock for this soup is made with a ham or pork bone. The
inclusion of the bone gives the soup a flavour which cannot be matched by
stock cubes or granules. The bones are available from our delicatessen
counter and, subject to availability, you can choose from Leicester Ham,
Oven Roast Pork or Oven Roast Ham. Each bone comes with sufficient residue
of meat to cut off and use in the soup or in quiches, omelettes, risottos
or stir fries.

Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.