Ham and vegetable soup with mustard croutons
210g packet vegetable soup mix
1 bacon hock
1 cup green split peas
10 cups water
1?4 cup chopped mint
1?4 cup chopped parsley
Place vegetable soup mix, bacon hock, split peas and water in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil. Turn down heat and simmer for one to 11?2 hours or until soup thickens. Stir occasionally. Remove hock from soup and cut meat off bone. Return meat to soup. Sprinkle mint and parsley over soup and serve with mustard croutons.
Serves 6
Mustard Croutons
30cm French stick
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
Oil
Cut French stick in half lengthways and spread cut surface with mustard. Cut each half into two lengthways strips and then into 2cm pieces. Place on a baking tray. Spray or brush with oil. Bake at 180 degrees C for 20 minutes or until crisp.
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