Making Split Pea Soup Sauté: Cook ham, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in oil, rinse peas. Combine: Add split peas, broth, bay leaves, thyme, pepper, and salt.

Add drained peas, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, the 12 cups of water, bay leaves and thyme. Partially cover the lid and simmer until the split peas are done, about 11/2 to 2 hours.

If it isn't for you, just pull out that slow cooker, pour in a one-pound bag of split peas ($1.39 at Walmart), a couple of carrots and celery pieces, an onion and some garlic.

FILE Ñ Split pea soup, in New York, Dec. 12, 2018. Whether you use bacon, a ham hock or paprika, Ali Slagle’s recipe for a classic split pea soup is satisfyingly smoky.