Sunday, March 15, 2009

More Pea Soup!


I bought split peas for a previous post and when I saw them in the pantry the other day, I thought a vegetarian soup would be good for a Friday supper during Lent.

Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks has a Vegetarian Split Pea Soup with these exact ingredients – I just halved her recipe and wrote the recipe based on what I did.

1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup split peas, rinsed and picked free of white shells/skins
2 cups vegetable stock
½ cup water
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Cayenne pepper
Hot sauce, optional

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft and slightly brown, 2 minutes. Add peas, stock, water and salt & pepper to taste. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 20-25 until peas are tender. Remove half of the peas & broth into a cup/container and use a handheld blender to puree the peas. Return to pot. Add more water or stock if soup needs thinned to your liking. Ladle into bowl and drizzle with olive oil and hot sauce (if using). Sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Serves 2.

I used Wegman’s brand culinary vegetable stock, which added to the body of the soup. Chicken stock would have been good too. Heidi also says you could use water completely instead of any stock but I think that would be rather bland.

To only puree half of the peas, gives the soup texture instead of it being completely pureed.

Greg had the idea to add hot sauce to his soup. I did too but the smell was a little overwhelming and it made me think of hot wings, which was a bit unappealing to me. But Greg liked it.

I still have more peas so I need to think of something to do with them other than soup....

1 comment:

  1. I love peas and have split peas in my cabinet just waiting to be made into soup. This is perfect timing! :)

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