Step 1

Soup Base. Put the peas, bay leaves and the ham hock in a soup pot and cover with water by about 2 inches - you want roughly 2 1/2 quarts of water. Bring this to a simmer and cook gently, partially covered, until the peas are tender and the ham hock is starting to fall off the bone, about 2 hours.

Step 2

Discard the bay leaves. Fish out the ham hock and discard the bones. Separate the meat from the skin. Chop the meat roughly. Mince the skin; use at least half of it, as it adds a lot of body to the soup.

Step 3

If you want, puree some or all of the peas. I use an immersion blender, but you could put some of the peas into a regular blender and puree. Be careful, since blending hot things can be dangerous. Hold down the top on the blender when you puree. (All of these first steps can be done several days in advance.)

Step 4

Finish the Soup. Return the meat to the pot with the peas. Add the optional stock, the thyme, root vegetables, and leek. Bring to a simmer and taste. It might need salt. Simmer this gently until the root vegetables are all tender. It's OK if a few start to break down - it just makes the soup better.

Step 5

When the vegetables are all tender, add the parsley and black pepper and serve the soup with bread.