Split Pea Soup

The chemistry in cooking is always fascinating. While it seems odd, adding oatmeal in the mix makes for a luscious, unctuous, creamy soup, unlike the grainy pea soups I've had. While perfectly good made fresh, like stew, the flavours really come out when re-heated on the second day.

2 slices of thick bacon (approx 20g) (or use the cooking water from boiling a ham or the braising liquid from pork steak stew, maybe with a little ham fat)
2 onions (12oz/340gr), chopped
1 tsp of sugar
½ tsp of pepper
12 cups (3.5 quarts) cold water
2 cups (450g) yellow split peas
1 to 3 tsps. of salt (to taste, depends on broth or hock)

4 oz/114g (about 1 generous cup) of quick cook oats
Optional: 1 sprig thyme, 1 bay leaf and/or 1 large carrot

1. Soak the peas in hot water for 2 to 4 hours before using. This helps avoid the odd overly firm pea being left in the soup.
2. Cut the bacon into lardons.
3. Together, combine the lardons and the onion in a soup pot and cook, rendering the fat at medium heat, for about ten minutes.
4. Season with the sugar and pepper, then add the cold water and the drained peas.
5. If using, also add the aromatic(s) and/or the carrot.
6. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the peas become quite soft, about an hour.
7. Add the salt, and slowly stir in the oatmeal to avoid lumping (I'll sometimes use a whisk which also helps the peas break up) and simmer for another twenty minutes.