• 1 lb. dried green split peas
• 2 1/2 qts. cold water
• 1/4 c. diced salt pork
• 1/2 c. chopped leeks
• 1/2 c. chopped celery
• 1/2 c. chopped onions
• 1/2 c. celeriac (celery root), optional
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 pigs knuckle, optional
• 1 smoked Dutch ring sausage, sliced, or 1 c. sliced Polish sausage or hot dogs
• Chopped parsley

Rinse peas under cold water and remove all foreign particles.  Place peas in large kettle, add the water, cover and let stand overnight.  Or boil 2 minutes and let soak 1 hour. In a skillet, cook the salt pork 5 minutes.  Add the vegetables and cook 10 minutes, until tender but not browned. Add the salt pork mixture, bay leaf, salt and pigs knuckle to the peas.  Cover and bring slowly to a boil.  Reduce the heat, skim foam from the top and simmer gently 2 hours or until the meat on the pigs knuckle separates from the bone.  Remove the pigs knuckle, shred the meat and reserve.  Discard the bone and the bay leaf.  Strain the soup and press the vegetables through a sieve, or puree in a blender or food processor.  Return the meat and sieved vegetables to the soup kettle and adjust the seasonings.  Add the sliced sausages and simmer 5 minutes longer.   Serve the soup piping hot and garnish each portion with chopped parsley.

6 to 10 servings.