Dried Whole Pea Soup

Soak the peas for several hours in plenty of cold water, then drain and rinse them. Stick the cloves into the onion and put it in a large saucepan, together with the peas, mint, and water or stock. Simmer gently for about 1 hour, until the peas are very tender (if you're using Bac-Os, add them after 3/4 hour or so, because they're salty). Remove the cloves from the onion, then liquidize the soup, with the onion and sprigs of mint until it's really smooth. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Return the soup to the rinsed-out saucepan to reheat it; add the butter just before serving. Garnish each bowl of soup with some chopped fresh mint leaves (or Bac-Os).