Left-Over Ham? Pea Soup!

How many of us are wondering what to do what that left-over ham from yesterday's Easter dinner?  I'm thinking pea soup (my sister Patsy's  all-time favorite). There are many recipes available on the internet.  I went to a trusted source, epicurious.com, to find an easy and highly rated recipe.  They credit Bon Apetit and another Patricia, a woman by the name of Patricia Murray from County Kerry, Ireland for the original. 

PEA SOUP from epicurious.com

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped peeled carrots
• 1 1/2 pounds smoked pork hocks (my note: or equivalent in left-over ham, a smoked turkey leg, or other smoked meat)
• 2 teaspoons dried leaf marjoram
• 1 1/2 cups green split peas
• 8 cups water

Melt butter in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and carrots. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add pork and marjoram; stir 1 minute. Add peas, then water, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover pot; simmer soup until pork and vegetables are tender peas are falling apart, stirring often, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Transfer hocks to bowl. Puree 5 cups soup in batches in blender. Return to pot. Cut pork off bones. Dice pork; return pork to soup. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover. Rewarm before serving.) 

Original Recipe at epicurious.com:  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Easy-Split-Pea-Soup-1919#ixzz0kEfSPAae

Photo credit: http://www.acefitness.org/healthyrecipes/images/large/SP6025.JPG