One of the many things I love about Easter, aside from the candy and the colorful eggs, is the juicy spiral-cut ham that we serve up for dinner – and keep serving day, after day, after day, until the never-ending leftovers have been used up. Sick of ham sandwiches yet? Me, too! Here’s a quick way to finish off your ham without stuffing it into yet another stale dinner roll!
Split Pea Soup with Ham
Serves 6-8
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 white or yellow onion, diced
- 6 medium-sized carrots, peeled and diced
- 6 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 6 cups chicken stock (see recipe in Homemade Stocks)
- 1 lb. dried split peas
- 8 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ham bone
- 1-2 cups diced ham, reserve a few Tbsp. for garnish
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
In a large soup pot, heat oil until shimmering. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook until vegetables have softened and onion starts to become transparent, about 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add stock, peas, potatoes, paprika, and bay leaf and stir to combine. Nestle ham bone in the middle of soup then bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until peas and vegetables are soft, about 40-45 minutes.
Remove bay leaf and ham bone from, discarding both. Ladle half of soup into a separate bowl, set aside. With a hand-held immersion blender, purée soup in pot until smooth, then return reserved soup to pot and stir until combined. Or alternatively, ladle half of soup into a blender and purée until smooth, the return puréed portion to pot and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
Add diced ham and heat until ham is warmed through. Ladle soup into preheated bowls and garnish with a drizzle with olive oil, some chopped ham, and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. Serve immediately or refrigerate covered for 3-5 days.
Mixed Green Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Serves 6
FOR THE SALAD:
- 6-8 cups mixed salad greens
- 3 hardboiled eggs, sliced
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup sugar snap peas, cut into thirds
- 2 green onions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, shaved
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients in a liquid measuring cup until ingredients have emulsified.
Pour a little dressing over salad, toss, then repeat as needed.
soup bowl recipes 