Split Pea Soup with Homemade Croutons

The Wheel of Meals landed on Legumes

I was going to go with lentils because I haven't made anything with those before, but Jeremy suggested peas, so I picked the classic split pea soup.  I found a crockpot recipe and used a ham hock for the first time.  I wasn't sure if I was going to like the soup so I had a pizza in the freezer as a backup plan, but I was pleasantly surprised; it was actually quite good.  I also found it to be filling because of all the carrots and ham in the soup. 

Split Pea Soup
Recipe from Slow Cooker Revolution
Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
2 onions, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
1 pound (~ 2 cups) green split peas, picked over and rinsed
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
1 smoked ham hock
8 ounces ham steak, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper

Croutons:
6 slices bread, crusts removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons melted butter
dried thyme
salt and pepper

Directions:
In  a medium bowl, combine the onions, garlic, oil, thyme, and red pepper flakes.  Microwave for about 5 minutes until onions are softened.  Transfer to a slow cooker.   Stir the broth, water, split peas, carrots, and bay leaves to the slow cooker and nestle the ham hock in there.  Cover and cook until peas are tender, 9-11 hours on low or 5-7 hours on high.

Remove ham hock and shred pork into bite-sized pieces.  Return pork to slow cooker and discard the skin and bones.  Discard the bay leaves.  Stir in the ham steak, and cover and cook and high for 15 minutes to allow ham to heat.  Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make croutons, toss bread cubes with butter, salt, pepper, and herbs of your choice.  Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes until crisp.   Croutons can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days.