Pelé Aveau’s Split Pea Soup with Ham

From the story Split Jaw • Split Pea 

By Garth Grimball | Illustration by Jessica Caisse

Serves 8

1 pound green split peas
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
Pinch of cayenne
1 tablespoon curry powder
3 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
2 quarts chicken stock
1 smoked ham hock (or other cured meat)

Rinse and drain peas, sorting out any small stones. Melt butter in a 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sweat until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in cayenne, curry powder, thyme, and bay leaf. While stirring, add stock and peas. Add ham hock whole, bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for about an hour or until peas dissolve. Remove ham hock to plate. Once cool to touch, pull apart and chop meat into bite-size pieces. Return to soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.