To prepare for this great after-the-holidays soup challenge, I supplied the pantry with stock (the kind that comes in the cardboard containers—excuse me, but I am too busy to make homemade), dried beans, and spices. Tonight I am experimenting with split peas. I have never cooked these before, but they seemed interesting. I started with a recipe from Epicurious and modified it with what I had on hand.
A hearty soup for a cold night.
It will be most welcome to our table as it is snowing tonight.
Split Pea Soup with Canadian Bacon
1 lb. split peas
2 T. olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
1 c. celery. Chopped
1 c. carrots, peeled and chopped
1 t. dried thyme (not ground)
4 c. water
32 oz. low salt vegetable stock
6 oz. sandwich style Canadian bacon, cut into strips
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Rinse and pick through peas. Set aside.
In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots. Sauté until vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. (I like it to have a little color, but don’t burn it.)
Add thyme and cook one minute more. Add peas, water and stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and partially cover pot. Simmer soup for about 1 hour or until peas are tender.
After veggies are tender, add Canadian bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
