Last year our Easter feast was cooked outdoors in the mild air full of chattering bird sounds. Peter masterfully grilled a butterflied leg of lamb slathered with a blend of lots of fresh minced garlic and coarse mustard. Asparagus, baby red potatoes, ruby beets, and sleek carrots all got roasted on the grill. This year, Easter dinner was somewhat more traditional with a glazed baked ham, asparagus with Hollandaise, Harvard beets, and mashed potatoes speckled with snips of green onions. Our plates held a palette of resplendent spring colors, harbingers of blossoms to follow.
The fog and raw days of late inspired this satisfying soup which made good use of the leftover hambone.
Split Pea Soup
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery, optional
3 carrots, sliced
Ham bone, or smoked turkey, if desired
2 teaspoons dried marjoram leaves
1 1/2 cups green split peas
4 cups water
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth
Sauté onions, celery, and carrots in a large stock pot for about 10 minutes, stirring. Add rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil
Reduce heat and simmer soup for an hour and a half to two hours, stirring occasionally.
Remove hambone and cut any ham off bone and add to soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.