Split Pea with Hand Soup

I used to watch the movie "Conan the Barbarian" a lot when I was in surgery residency. We used to sit in the surgery lounge and play it between cases. There is a scene in the middle of the movie where there is a big cauldron full of green soup. Eventually you see a closeup of the soup and there is a hand floating in it and a head. You get the picture. Anyway the director said in the commentary that it was called split pea with hand soup. Every once in a while we like to have a little split pea with ham soup. It similar right?

Erwtensoep
(Dutch Pea Soup)

2 pounds dried green split peas (soak overnight)
4 leeks chopped
4 stalks celery
1 pound onions
Nice healthy amount of ham
12 ounces Gelderland Sausage, sliced (or use Jimmy Dean regular sausage)
salt, pepper


Soak peas overnight. Place peas, water and ham in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer for 3 hours until it has a nice pea soup consistency. Then add all of the other ingredients and cook until just softened (about ½ hour). Tastes very good if served with pumpernickle bread.