Slow Cooker Québécois Pea Soup

Recommended Equipment:

slow cooker

Ingredients:

1 pound of dry yellow split peas

8 cups water

1/2 pound of salt pork, uncut

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/2 tspn dried rosemary

1/2 tspn dried sage

1/2 tspn dried thyme

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Soak dried yellow split peas in a pot of water overnight.  Strain water from the split peas.  Add the split peas to the slow cooker.
2. Add the 8 cups of water to the slow cooker along with the piece of salt pork.
3. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the onions in the olive oil until the onions become clear and translucent.  Add the onions and the olive oil to the slow cooker.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker.
5. Cook for 4 hours on low heat.
6. Remove salt pork from slow cooker.  Cut away the fat.  Chop up the lean pieces of pork and add it back to the soup.  Serve hot.