This basic hearty soup makes good use of winter vegetables and some old-fashioned but delicious split peas. Wonderful served hot with warm slices of Irish Soda Bread.

Ingredients

• 4 very thick rashers of bacon trimmed of rind, or 250 grams bacon pieces
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 leek, trimmed and washed
• 2 parsnips, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, trimmed and sliced
• 1 large kumara, peeled and diced
• 1 cup green split peas
• 2 litres chicken or beef stock
• 1 bunch of spinach
• chopped parsley to taste, optional

Method

1. Cut the bacon rashers into chunky pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the bacon over a moderate heat until it starts to brown.
2. Dice the leek and add to the saucepan with the parsnip, celery, kumara, split peas and stock and bring to the boil.
3. Lower the heat and simmer gently for around 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the split peas cooked.
4. Wash the spinach and tear the leaves from their coarse stems. Add the leaves to the soup and warm through. Season well with salt and pepper and add chopped fresh parsley if wished. Serve in large bowls with Irish Soda Bread.