A Vegetarian Or Traditional Soup To Brighten Your Kitchen

This makes for a thick, rich, and colorful soup. The star ingredients are mint and soy sauce. When my mint begins to swarm, it’s soup time! Soy sauce adds a deep base flavor. Simmering soup awakens your kitchen for all who enter!

Versatility is built in: use a pot, pressure cooker, or slow cooker to get the same results!

INGREDIENTS: Serves 8-10

• water- 7 cups
• split peas- 1 LB.
• celery- 1-1/2 cups, (2-3 ribs), diced
• onion- 1-1/2 cups, (1 med.), thin crescent cuts*
• carrots- 1-1/2 cups, 2 small, diced
• garlic- 1 large clove, minced
• salt- 1-1/2 tsp.
• soy sauce- 3 TBS. – Is delicate and should be added after cooking is complete
• mint, fresh- 4 TBS., chopped
• protein – optional, ham hock, pancetta, baked ham, or mushrooms

*Crescent shaped cuts help keep onions from disintegrating and lend a texture to the soup. Halve an onion through the poles, then cut thin longitudinal slices. The resultant shape is like a crescent moon. If a tall or large onion, then slice crescents in half.

INSTRUCTIONS: Cook this soup by pot, pressure cooker, or slow cooker

1. Soup Pot Cooking Directions: Add water and split peas to a large sauce pan and simmer, partially covered for about 50-60 minutes, until almost soft. Then, if you would like a satiny, consistency purée about a third of the soup at this juncture. 
2. Meanwhile prep the vegetables.
3. Add vegetables and salt to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes. Be sure to stir from time to time. Go to step 6 from here.
4. Pressure Cooker Directions: In a pressure cooker add the water, split peas, onion, celery, carrot and salt. Bring to full pressure and cook for 8 minutes. Use quick release method. Taste split peas for doneness, and simmer on stove top until peas are soft. Go to step 6.
5. Slow Cooker Directions:  In a crock pot, add all the ingredients except the garlic, mint and soy sauce. Turn on low and cook for 4-6 hours, until peas are soft.
6. To any of the methods above add garlic, and soy sauce then stir and allow to combine for a minute. Adjust soy sauce if needed. Adjust thickness with water if needed.
7. Add the mint, stir; serve warm.

NOTE: This soup will thicken considerably as it cools.  So when reheating add water to a thin milkshake consistency.

FLAVOR BOOST: A drizzle of dry sherry on occasion adds depth

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ALTERNATE RECIPES: 

Split Pea Soup with Pork : Sauté a 1/4 pound of diced pancetta, bacon or other cured ham. I also love to add a ham hock on occasion. Add these at step 3.

ABOVE: With Bratwurst; I also Sautéed the Onions in Lard Before Adding the Remaining Ingredients

Spicy Split Pea Soup: Skip the mint, and add hot sauce that is flavored by Scotch bonnet or habeñero chilies. These chilies, although fiery, when used in moderation, add deep flavor with only a twinge of heat. It’s like another soup!

Split Pea Soup with Herbes de Provence: Capture the spirit of Southern France with this spice blend. Use 1 TBS. while cooking vegetables and omit the mint and soy sauce. Increase salt to 2 tsp.

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Planned-over Split Pea Stew Bowl: Add leftover grains and/or diced protein and a bit more mint to enjoy as an impromptu light meal.