Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup With Horseradish Cream (NYT) By Sarah DiGregorio

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow or red onion, minced
• 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 5 large garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves removed, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 fresh or dried bay leaves
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 smoked ham hock (about 1 pound)
• 1 pound green or yellow split peas
• 5¼ cups chicken stock (or water)
• ¼ cup dry white wine or vermouth (see Tip)
• !/2 lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons jarred, drained horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

PREPARATION

Step 1 In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the oil, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, smoked paprika, garlic powder, thyme, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt and a few generous grinds of pepper. Add the ham hock, split peas, stock and wine, and cook on low until the peas are tender, 8 to 10 hours.

Step 2 Discard the bay leaves. Transfer the ham hock to a bowl. Using two forks, pull the meat from the ham hock, discard the bone and return the meat to the pot. Stir in the lemon juice, then taste the soup, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. The soup will thicken as it sits; if it is too thick for your taste, stir in a bit of warm broth or water.

Step 3 Combine the sour cream, horseradish and mustard in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup with the horseradish cream for topping.

Tip If you prefer to cook without the wine, omit it and add an equivalent amount of stock. At the end, add extra lemon juice to taste. Tip: Yellow or green split peas are consumed around the world because they are cheap, nonperishable and highly nutritious. Preparing them in a slow cooker makes for an affordable, delicious meal-in-a-bowl that requires nothing more than combining all of the ingredients, then simmering for several hours. Don't skip the horseradish cream swirled in at the end; it is the work of just a few minutes, and it makes this humble dish feel special. To make the soup vegetarian, use water instead of chicken stock, increase the smoked paprika to 1 teaspoon, omit the ham, and stir in a spoonful of white or yellow miso paste at the end, which will add savoriness. (You can also prepare this in a pressure cooker.)