Gigi's Potage St. Germain

Yes, I'm well aware of the fact that split pea soup is far from being everyone's
favorite. I had trouble understanding how I could love peas so much and loathe
split pea soup. That is, until my first bite of my mother's Potage St. Germain!
It's sometimes difficult to get split pea soup haters to try a bite of this, but once
they do, they're converts! Typical response: "This isn't split pea soup, this is DELICIOUS!" Yes indeed!

2 cups green split peas
5 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup finely diced salt pork
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, diced
Green tops of 2 leeks, snipped
1 cup snipped lettuce
1 small bay leaf
Pinch dried thyme
1 cup frozen green peas
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup half-and-half

In a soup kettle bring the split peas, water and 1 teaspoon salt to boil;
simmer, covered, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter; in it brown the salt pork. Add onion;
cook until tender. Add carrot, leek tops, lettuce and herbs. Sauté, stirring,
3 minutes. Add to split peas along with the frozen peas and 2 cups water.
Cook the soup over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.
Press soup through a strainer, pressing hard; return soup to the kettle.
Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the sugar, salt and pepper
to taste, 2 tablespoons butter and half-and-half. Serves 6 to 8.