French Canadian Pea Soup

*FRENCH CANADIAN PEA SOUP*
This soup has made French Canadian cuisine famous. Makes 6-8 servings

1 lb	Split green or yellow peas	450 g
8 cups	Cold water	2 L
1/4 cup	Bacon or other fat	50 mL
2	Medium onions, chopped	2
3	Medium carrots, sliced	3
1	Bay leaf	1
1/2 tsp	Dried thyme	2 mL
1 tsp	Salt	5 mL
1	Ham bone with some meat	1
2 tbsp	Butter	25 mL
2 tsp	Sugar	10 mL

Wash and pick over peas. Soak overnight. Sauté onions and carrots in fat in a large pot until soft but not brown. Add peas, water, seasonings, and ham bone, cover, bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer for about 3 hours. Lift out bone, remove any pieces of ham from bone and set aside. Puree soup and vegetables in a blender or food processor, return to the pot, add sugar, butter and ham pieces. Taste and adjust seasoning, and cook gently again until ham is heated.