Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup. I forgot how good this stuff was. I remember my mom would always make this when I was little. It's hearty and will keep you full for a long while. This soup is fairly easy but it does take a little time, so it's not exactly your grab and go kind of meal. However, this rich soup is full of flavor and make that foggy weather so much more enjoyable.
The Ingredients
3 cups of dried spit peas
2 cups of diced ham
ham hock/ham rind
2 onions finely chopped
1.5 cups of carrots diced
2 bay leaves
7 cups of water
olive oil
butter
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons cream

The Method
Take a large pot and pour in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and about 1 tablespoon of butter. Sweat the onions and carrots with a pinch of salt. Add the ham, ham hock, and ham rind if you have it. Throw in the bay leaves and water. It is important to rinse the peas before adding them because they have have dust or dirt on them. Be sure to do this right before adding, otherwise they stick into a large strainer-shaped clump.
Bring this all to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and cook for about an hour to an hour and a half. Look for all the peas to be gone and for the soup to be thick. Season to taste and finally add the cream. Serve with some crusty bread. This can also be done with lentils as well.