Split Pea and Lentil Soup

Soups are usually really easy to make, but this one is super simple, and only has a few ingredients.  As with most soups and stews, it tastes better the day after making it too.  My version uses gammon, but if you want to make this vegetarian, you can just use vegetable stock as the base instead.

Ingredients

1 gammon joint (or use Ham or Vegetable stock cubes instead to make up a stock)
150g Yellow Split Peas
150g Red Lentils
250g Chopped Onions (frozen chopped onions are brilliant!)
3-4 large carrots (or if you're lazy - which I often am - 2 small tins of carrots)
2 tsp Garlic powder, or 2 cloves of crushed garlic (optional)

Method

1. Place the gammon joint in a saucepan and cover with boiling water.  Simmer this for 1-1.5 hours until the meat is cooked through.  You need to check this every 15-20 minutes or so, and top up the water if required.

2. Remove the meat from the saucepan (leaving the stock in the pan) and leave it to cool.  Peel and slice the carrots.  Add these to the saucepan along with the split peas and lentils.  (If you're using tinned carrots, don't add these until a few minutes before serving.)

3. Return the pan to the boil for around 30 minutes, until the all the vegetables are soft.  Add the chopped onions and garlic and simmer the soup until it thickens (keep checking this every 10-15 minutes - you don't want your peas sticking and burning on the bottom of the pan - it takes 30-60 minutes to turn into a lovely thick soup).

4. To serve, chop up or shred some of the meat and place in the soup bowl (if you're a meat eater).  Spoon out the soup on top, and serve with a chunk of your favourite bread (perhaps Soda Bread?) for dipping - easy peasy!

Tip
Split peas and red lentils are usually cheaper in the 'World Foods' aisle in the supermarket.