Pea And Ham Soup

• 1 smoked pork hock, large
• 2 1/2 cups split peas
• 100 ml olive oil
• 3 large brown onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 bunch celery, sliced
• salt and pepper
• 150 g pearl barley
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs

1. Put hock in large pot, cover with water.
2. Bring to the boil to just blanch meat, drain and set aside.
3. Put peas in a sieve, wash thoroughly.
4. Heat oil in pot, add onion, garlic, carrot and celery.
5. Cook vegies for 10 minutes, season with salt and pepper.
6. Add pork, split peas, barley, tomato and herbs.
7. Add 2 1/2 liters of cold water, bring to the boil.
8. Simmer about 2 1/2 hours until soup is thickened, stir occasionally.
9. Remove hock from soup, shred meat from bone.
10. Add it to the soup, reheat and serve.

pork hock, peas, olive oil, brown onions, garlic, carrots, celery, salt, pearl barley, tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/pea-and-ham-soup-388893 (may not work)