Split Pea and Smoked Ham Soup

Ingredients

• 500g green split peas, rinsed well
• 800g smoked ham hocks
• 1 leek, halved lengthways and roughly chopped
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 head garlic, halved horizontally
• 2 tsp grated fresh turmeric or ground dried turmeric
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery, chopped
• 1 tsp chilli powder (optional)
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• Juice of lemon
• Small bunch of kale, leaves roughly chopped, stems removed and discarded
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons crème fraiche

Method

1. Place the EasySear pan back into the slow cooker base. Add the hocks, split peas, leek, onion, garlic, turmeric, carrot, celery, chilli powder, stock and 2 litres water and place on the high setting and cook for 4 hour.If you want to put on before work, place on low and cook for 9 hours.  
2. Remove hocks from soup carefully using tongs and place them in a large bowl. When they are cool enough to handle, pull the meat the bone in bite-sized shards, discarding excess fat, gristle and bones. Shred meat into large pieces and transfer back into cooker. Add lemon juice to cooker and stir to combine.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.  
4. Brush kale leaves with olive oil and transfer to a baking tray in a single layer, spreading the leaves out a little. Sprinkle with a little sea salt. Cook in oven for 25 minutes, checking and turning halfway. Leave to cool.  
5. Serve the soup in individual bowls, place a small dollop of crème fraiche in each bowl, then scatter over kale chips.