I've eaten split pea and ham soup for as long as I can remember. On chilly days when my dad was being stingy with the heat, it especially hit the spot. But this concept is just as good in the springtime, when sugary fresh peas show up at the greenmarket. Although I must admit that I rarely feel like shelling peas at home after a long day in the kitchen, and I love frozen peas, which are consistently fine, so that's what I call for here. The finished dish is bright green and sweet, with little chunks of ham, carrots, and cool white blobs of crème fraîche floating on its surface.
I love to let the ingredients in this soup mingle in the pot for a few hours so the flavors marry. Doing this, however, sacrifices the soup's lovely bright green color for a pondy, murky one. I don't mind the color change, but some people might. If you'd like to make the soup the night before and want it to stay bright, set up a big bowl of ice water and set another big bowl inside. Once the soup is done, pour it into the bowl and stir until it's cold.
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