Split Pea and Ham Soup

Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb split peas
- 10 cups water
- 1 ham bone or 1 ham hock
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 14 cup barbecue sauce or 14 cup sherry wine

Directions:
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven.
- Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic.
- Saute 5 minutes.
- Add split peas, water, and ham bone.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer 1 hour.
- Add potatoes and simmer another 30 minutes.
- Remove ham bone from soup, pull meat off bone, and set aside.
- Discard bone.
- Using an immersion blender, puree soup.
- Add meat, salt, and barbecue sauce.
- Serve with crushed pita or corn chips.