| 1 | Soak the peas overnight. |
| 2 | Drain. |
| 3 | Add the ham bone, garlic, onion, celery and water to the peas. |
| 4 | Cook until the peas are very tender. |
| 5 | Remove and discard the ham bone. |
| 6 | Use a blender or food processor to puree the peas with some of the cooking liquid. |
| 7 | Return the puree to the rest of the soup. |
| 8 | Melt the butter in a saucepan. |
| 9 | Add the flour. |
| 10 | Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes - do not allow it to brown. |
| 11 | Add salt and pepper to taste. |
| 12 | Stir in the milk. |
| 13 | Cook until the roux begins to thicken. |
| 14 | Stir into the soup. |
| 15 | Simmer for 10 minutes. |
| 16 | Serve with buttered toast or croutons. |
| 17 | joel ehrlich on rec.food.cooking |
