I did it!! I ran the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon!! I ran 21km and I managed it in under 2 hours which was not something I was particularly aiming for, just a huge bonus to add to my challenge. It was such a great event, music and drinks every couple of km with loud music playing, plenty of cheering and support which helped immensely especially at the 19 – 20km mark (the finish line was feeling a little too far away at that stage!). And whats more, the local tax free liquor shop awarded those who ran under 2 hrs a free bottle of Moet and 25% off our total bill!!! yippee!! Not sure the race and the booze shop go naturally hand in hand but the glass of bubbles that night felt like I was back in my natural habitat!
The group I have been training with, Urban Energy Fitness was the reason I was able to run it and also why it was fun too. They are an awesome bunch of people and I love their motto which we had plastered on the back of our running shirts ‘Today is a Good Day’, even if its not your best day ever, it still makes you feel better. So thank you Urban Energy.
And thank you to my husband who has looked after the kids every Friday morning while I train with a very long run. He actually was the one who encouraged me to say yes to this race and it was so good seeing his face and excitement when I was near the finish line. Once I realised my time and that the finish was just ahead, I starting yelling and cheering myself to the point of utter embarrassment but I didn’t care! And it was so great to share it with someone who was just as excited as I was.
Today’s recipe is for him, he absolutely loves soup and I have the day off so its a slow cooked soup.
I love a good Pea and Ham soup and unfortunately its not that easy to get a hold of the ingredients over here. I finally found split green peas amongst the hundreds of different lentils for the curry cuisines and after a bit of goggling found a recipe that I can use a Prosciutto hock instead of the traditional smoked ham variety (all hams here are boneless, the bone in seems to be an Australian thing). I think if I looked hard enough I might get a hold of one or even a gammon bone but I thought this could be an interesting one.
I decided to give my slow cooker another chance (I used it once about 2 years ago failing dismally – its a fabulous dust collector) since I started early in the day. I am not an expert on these things but I know those who use them a lot love them. To be honest we dont have much need for lots of hearty slow cooked meals here because the weather is usually sunny, warm – extremely hot and humid. I am aware the latter is not far away so while the temperature sits around 25 degrees we can pretend it’s cold outside.
Anyway, back to the slow cooker, the beauty of it is that you theoretically just bung it all in, forget about it then serve. It doesn’t really sound like cooking though does it? But I guess it’s the combination of what you throw in that makes it a slight culinary achievement.
This one is a bit interesting as it has the Prosciutto and also a good handful of fresh mint. Peas and mint are a classic combination so I guess it makes sense. The River Cafe also has a similar recipe so it must be great!! The beauty of this recipe also is that it is not an exact science, if I say 1 carrot or half a cup, it doesn’t matter if you are a little over (which is the preference for more flavour rather than less).
So here is the recipe for a yummy soup for my friend to say thanks.
Pea Soup with Hamo
You will need a slow cooker or a large heavy based pot with a lid to simmer over the stove
Ingredients
- 500g split green peas
- 1 carrot chopped into a small dice (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 stick celery chopped into a small dice (about half a cup)
- 1 large onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 large handful of fresh mint leaves
- a small prosciutto hock (I ended up using 2 thick slices 3cm, as the hock was too big)
- 8 cups of hot water
- freshly ground pepper
- pinch of sea salt
To Make
- Rinse the split peas well and put into the slow cooker.
- Throw the carrots, celery and onion into the slow cooker and give it all a mix.
- Gently embed the prosciutto slices into the vegetable and pea mix, scatter the mints leaves over and good grind of pepper.
- Pour the hot water in and turn the slow cooker on high and cook for about 6 hours or until the ham is falling apart and the peas have turned the mush and combined with the water to make a thick soup (mine took 5 hours on high setting then 1 extra hour on low). If you are using a big pot on the stove, the cooking time will be less, maybe 2 1/2 hours on simmering heat, after you have brought it to the boil.
- Scoop the ham out carefully and shred. Using a stick blender puree the soup until almost silky, this will help to thicken the soup if it is a bit thin. At this point you can add a pinch of sea salt to taste.
- Return the ham back to the soup and stir through.
- Once it is done, serve in a bowl with a dollop of creme fraiche or lightly whipped cream.
P S – It is a very simple recipe, feel free to omit the meat and add in some more vegetables like potato, parsnip or double the carrot quantity and feel free to change the herbs to whatever suits like Thyme or Rosemary.
- 500g split green peas
- 1 carrot chopped into a small dice (about ½ cup)
- 1 stick celery chopped into a small dice (about half a cup)
- 1 large onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 large handful of fresh mint leaves
- a small prosciutto hock (I ended up using 2 thick slices 3cm, as the hock was too big)
- 8 cups of hot water
- freshly ground pepper
- pinch of sea salt
- Rinse the split peas well and put into the slow cooker.
- Throw the carrots, celery and onion into the slow cooker and give it all a mix.
- Gently embed the prosciutto slices into the vegetable and pea mix, scatter the mints leaves over and good grind of pepper.
- Pour the hot water in and turn the slow cooker on high and cook for about 6 hours or until the ham is falling apart and the peas have turned the mush and combined with the water to make a thick soup (mine took 5 hours on high setting then 1 extra hour on low). If you are using a big pot on the stove, the cooking time will be less, maybe 2½ hours on simmering heat, after you have brought it to the boil.
- Scoop the ham out carefully and shred. Using a stick blender puree the soup until almost silky, this will help to thicken the soup if it is a bit thin. At this point you can add a pinch of sea salt to taste.
- Return the ham back to the soup and stir through.
- Once it is done, serve in a bowl with a dollop of creme fraiche or lightly whipped cream.
Deborah Wotherspoon says
Congratulations on your run. The sasanqua outside the laundry has started flowering which means winter is around the corner ‘down under’. Your recipe, like you, will be a winner.
xMum
Elizabeth Wong says
Hi Edwina,
Congratulations on a tremendous effort. A very impressive time. I love my slow cooker, so will put your recipe aside until the weather turns a little cooler. Give a big hug to the Birthday Girl. x Elizabeth
sandy says
This is not just delicious; it’s romantic. Congratulations on the great run!
anouk kordek says
loving your blog Edwina, its fantastic and a real treat to read. your doing a great job and motivating me to cook more! loving ALL the recipes. xx Anouk