BR's Ham and Split Pea Soup

Originally mentioned in this post.  This recipe serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil (15 ml)
• 1 medium cooking onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 pound ham hock (preferably smoked) (681 g) (we substituted a ham bone we had in the freezer)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• Pinch dried chile flakes (optional)
• 2 cups green split peas (375 ml) rinsed
• 10 cups chicken stock (2.5 litres)
• Small handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Additional stock or water, if needed to thin the soup

Directions

1. Heat the butter/oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot on medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, leek, and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the ham hock, bay leaves, thyme, chile flakes and split peas and cook 2 minutes longer. Increase heat to high. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer soup for 2 hours or until split peas are soft, partially covered, stirring occasionally. We simmered the soup on the induction cooker and the peas were soft in an hour.
2. Remove the ham hock and take meat off bone and reserve. Serve as a garnish with the soup or in the soup whichever you prefer. Discard the bay leaves and thyme stalks.
3. If the soup is too thick add some more water or stock to loosen. Bring back to a boil and add the chopped parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

BR had this playing in the background while he was preparing this yummy pot of goodness.  Not sure if it is an integral part of his recipe, but lovely all the same.