Split Pea Soup

• 2 cups green split peas
• 2 quarts of water
• 1 pound smoked ham hock
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 peppercorns
• 2 carrots
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 2 cups celery, chopped with leaves
• 2 cups beef consomme
• 1 cup milk
• Salt to taste

1. Place the split peas and the water in a large soup kettle, and soak overnight. Using the water in which they were soaked, bring the peas to a boil, add the ham hock, the bay leaf and the peppercorns, and simmer, covered for 1 hour.
2. Peel and dice the carrots. add with the onions and celery to the soup and simmer for about 1 hour more. Remove the hock and bay leaf. Puree the soup by forcing through a food mill. Cut the meat from the ham hock into small pieces. Discard the bone. Add the ham, consomme and milk, and simmer for another 20 minutes. Add salt to taste when soup is piping hot

green split peas, water, ham hock, bay leaf, peppercorns, carrots, onions, celery, beef consomme, milk, salt

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/split-pea-soup-50070039 (may not work)