CI'S SLOW-COOKER SPLIT PEA SOUP

SLOW-COOKER SPLIT PEA SOUP

Serves 6 to 8. From The Best Make-Ahead Recipe.

Dried green peas can often contain small stones, so make sure to pick them over carefully.

PREP-AHEAD TIPS: You can store the following ingredients together:
1. Cook the vegetables as described in step 1, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate.
2. Pick over and rinse the split peas and refrigerate.

2	tablespoons vegetable oil
2	medium onions , minced
2	medium carrots , chopped medium
2	celery ribs , chopped medium
	Salt
4	cups water
4	cups low-sodium chicken broth
1	pound green split peas (2 1/2 cups), picked over and rinsed
2	medium smoked ham hocks
3	bay leaves
1	tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves , or 1 teaspoon dried
1/4	teaspoon red pepper flakes
2	tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
	Ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. 2. Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker insert and stir in the water, broth, split peas, ham hocks, bay leaves, thyme, and pepper flakes until evenly combined. Cover and cook on low until the soup has thickened and the peas are tender, 10 to 11 hours. (Alternatively, cover and cook on high for 6 to 7 hours.)

3. 3. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Remove the ham hocks and transfer them to a plate to cool; when cool enough to handle, remove any meat, discarding the skin, fat, and bones, and add the meat back to the soup. Stir in the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

America’s Test Kitchen is a 2,500-square-foot kitchen located just outside of Boston. It is the home of Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated magazines and is the workday destination for more than three dozen test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes until we understand how and why they work and arrive at the best version. We also test kitchen equipment and supermarket ingredients in search of brands that offer the best value and performance. You can watch us work by tuning in to America’s Test Kitchen (www.americastestkitchen.com) on public television.