Pea and ham soup recipe
 This recipe uses a gammon joint that has been cooked ready for use in multiple meals (see the recipe tips for the other recipes and how to cook the gammon). Batch cooking in this way saves money while still ensuring there's plenty of variety in your meals. For this recipe you will need a food processor or blender. 1 tbsp butter or vegetable oil1 large onion, roughly chopped 1 baking potato or any large floury potato (about 300g/10½oz), peeled and roughly chopped1 litre/1¾ pint stock from cooking the gammon (alternatively use vegetable or chicken stock)500g/1lb 2oz frozen peas small bunch fresh mint (about 5 sprigs)100g/3½oz cooked gammon or ham, shreddedsalt and black pepper 1 tbsp butter or vegetable oil 1 large onion, roughly chopped 1 baking potato or any large floury potato (about 300g/10½oz), peeled and roughly chopped 1 litre/1¾ pint stock from cooking the gammon (alternatively use vegetable or chicken stock) 500g/1lb 2oz frozen peas small bunch fresh mint (about 5 sprigs) 100g/3½oz cooked gammon or ham, shredded salt and black pepper Method Heat the butter or oil in a large lidded saucepan set over a low–medium heat. Gently fry the onions until soft, keeping the heat low so they don't brown. Stir in the potato and pour in the stock. Cover loosely and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat a little and simmer until the potato is tender (about 10 minutes). Tip in the peas and add 3–4 mint stalks with leaves. Bring back to the boil then remove from the heat. Blend in a food processor or using a hand blender, taste to check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed (the stock will be quite salty). Stir in the ham, allow to warm through in the hot soup and then serve, garnished with a few mint leaves. Heat the butter or oil in a large lidded saucepan set over a low–medium heat. Gently fry the onions until soft, keeping the heat low so they don't brown. Heat the butter or oil in a large lidded saucepan set over a low–medium heat. Gently fry the onions until soft, keeping the heat low so they don't brown. Stir in the potato and pour in the stock. Cover loosely and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat a little and simmer until the potato is tender (about 10 minutes). Stir in the potato and pour in the stock. Cover loosely and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat a little and simmer until the potato is tender (about 10 minutes). Tip in the peas and add 3–4 mint stalks with leaves. Bring back to the boil then remove from the heat. Blend in a food processor or using a hand blender, taste to check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed (the stock will be quite salty). Tip in the peas and add 3–4 mint stalks with leaves. Bring back to the boil then remove from the heat. Blend in a food processor or using a hand blender, taste to check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed (the stock will be quite salty). Stir in the ham, allow to warm through in the hot soup and then serve, garnished with a few mint leaves. Stir in the ham, allow to warm through in the hot soup and then serve, garnished with a few mint leaves. Recipe tips To cook the gammon, put a 1kg/2lb 4oz gammon joint in a large saucepan and bring to the boil in 2 litres/3½ pints water. Simmer for an hour. Remove the gammon and set aside to cool. Keep the cooking water to use as stock. The other gammon batch cook recipes are a ham hash, a ham picnic pasta and a ham and vegetable bake. Fresh mint is a staple of community herb beds as it grows very vigourously in the UK, so there's a good chance you'll be able to get some for free. In September 2023 this recipe was costed at an average of £3.87 when checking prices at four UK supermarkets (costed using sliced ham, but the recipe is cheaper – and tastes much better – if you batch cook a joint as Lorna suggests). This recipe is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store-cupboard, for more details click here to see how our budget recipes were costed.