• 500 g lean bacon bones
• 500 g packet of green split peas
• 8 cups of low salt chicken stock

Place these ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for about 6 hours or until the soup is very thick. Remove the bones and add in 3 cups of frozen peas and whizz the soup using a stick blender. Season to taste.

Cook for a further half and half an hour or so and then serve hot garnished with crispy bacon and chopped chives or shallots and lots of freshly toasted French bread.

Base:

• 100 g butter
• 1 c flour
• ½ sugar

Topping:

• 50 g butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¾ c walnuts (or your favourite nuts)

For the base, place the chopped butter, flour and sugar into a food processor and whizz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Press into a prepared tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 15 mins or until firm and golden.

For the topping melt the butter and add in the brown sugar, lightly beated egg and vanilla. Pour this over the cooked base and sprinkle with the coarsely chopped nuts. Return to the oven and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the topping has set.