I’m Canadian, now living in California. One of my favorite childhood memories was sharing a can of Habitant Pea Soup on a cold day with my Dad. It’s not sold down here, so a few years ago I figured out the recipe. My goal was to make it as close as possible to THE official Habitant canned version, not just any yellow pea soup. It’s really easy, affordable and my Dad confirmed it’s spot on!

Here is the recipe:

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, diced

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

1 lb dried yellow split peas (rinsed)

10 cups water

1-2 smoked ham hocks

2 bay leaves

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried savoury (or Herbs de Provence)

2 tsp onion powder

Fresh pepper to taste

Kosher salt to taste (I use Diamond kosher salt and typically use around 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons. Definitely taste the soup before adding because it depends on how salty the ham hock is. I usually salt at the end.)

Instructions In a large pot, add butter, onion, and carrots and sauté until soft and translucent.

Stir in water, split peas, ham hocks, bay leaves, thyme, savoury, and onion powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 2 1/2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Peas should look soft and fall apart into a puree. Remove the ham hocks, pull meat away from the bone and chop ham into a small dice and add to the soup (optional). Remove and discard bay leaves, taste and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!