Split Pea Soup makes us Hap-Pea!



Just made a hurry-up soup without meat -- and found it to be a real treat, and so simple to make!  And with no added salt, no meat, and only a little healthy fat -- this is super healthy.  With the rosemary, we didn't miss any of the unhealthy ingredients.  Some folks had a turkey sandwich with it, on whole wheat bread, of course!

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup with Rosemary

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (one package) split peas, rinsed & drained
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil or olive oil
• Onion, 1 medium, chopped
• Celery, 4 stalks, chopped
• Carrots, 8 large, one chopped, the rest cut in large pieces
• "Better than Boullion" chicken flavor, 1 Tablespoon
• Rosemary, 4 6-inch fresh sprigs, with the needles pulled off the stems, chopped if desired
• Water, about 8 cups

 Directions:

1. Heat oil and butter in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over high heat; add chopped onions, celery, and carrot, and stir occassionally until browned.  I use a flat-edged metal spatula to scrape the bottom and stir.
2. Add a cup of water, the chicken base, and rosemary; stir to blend. 
3. Add the rest of the water and the split peas.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer about 30 minutes.
4. Add carrots to the pot, and simmer another 30 minutes.

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Split Pea Soup with Ham

Ingredients:

• 2 cups split peas
• Ham bone or 2 square inches salt pork (optional)
• Dash of salt

• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• Small onion
• Celery, 3 or 4 stalks, with leaves
• Carrots, 3 or 4 large
• Herbs & spices to taste
• From Joy of Cooking: 1 bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1 clove garlic
• My preference:
• Fresh Rosemary, 6-inch sprig
• 1 Tablespoon Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning blend  http://www.viewpoints.com/Trader-Joes-21-Seasoning-Salute-review-e0908 
• 1 Tablespoon "Better than Bouillion" chicken base
• 1 Tablespoon crushed garlic

• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons flour

• 1 cup chopped ham (optional, but very good)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Rinse and drain split peas. Put peas in large, heavy pot or Dutch oven with 10 cups of water, salt and ham bone or salt pork. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer with the lid on for 90 minutes.
2. Chop carrots and add to the pot for another 30 minutes.
3. Chop onion, and celery, and finely mince rosemary. Heat butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet, and sautee them on high heat until browned and limp.  Add to the soup pot, along with the other herbs, garlic, and chicken base.
4. In the skillet, make a roux with the butter, olive oil, and flour:
• To do this, heat the butter and oil, then quickly whisk or stir in the flour.  I like to use a flat edge metal spatula, because it allows me to cleanly and quickly scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent burning and sticking.  This roux is to used to add a little flavor and thickness to the soup.  Let it brown, while watching it carefully, over high heat.  Once it smells good and is a little brown (not necessarily as dark as for gumbo, when I want to see a dark peanut butter brown), scrape it into the soup pot.  You can deglaze the pan by pouring a little of the soup into the pan, stir/scrape it around, then scrape that into the soup pot.  Cook another 30 minutes.
5.  Puree the soup in the blender.  Have a large bowl on hand, and fill the blender about 3/4 full, blend to desired consistency (I prefer it finely chunky, not smooth), and pour into bowl.  Continue until all the soup has been pureed, then return to the soup pot.
6. Add the chopped ham, and add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer about 10 minutes.

Serve with a crusty loaf of sourdough French bread, and enjoy!!