SMOKEY SPLIT PEA & ROSEMARY SOUP

As a kid, I hated split pea soup because of the salt, fat and weird flavors from ham. So naturally, as an adult in my own kitchen, I wanted to make a version that worked for me!

I bought green and yellow split peas and searched my Cooking Pleasures magazines. I found a recipe for Split Pea Rosemary Chicken soup. I followed the basic recipe, eliminating the chicken, to prepare this delicious, healthy, chewy soup to cure the winter blues!

SMOKEY SPLIT PEA & ROSEMARY SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup green split peas

1 cup yellow split peas

1/2 cup white wine

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped coarsely

3 cups low sodium vegetable broth

1 cup water, if necessary

1-2 teaspoons dried rosemary, or see bouquet garnis below

1 teaspoon dried thyme, or see bouquet garnis below

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Optional: processed vegan bacon bits, or homemade tofu faux bacon, chopped

METHOD:

Place green and yellow split peas in a large colander and rinse several times with cold water. Let stand and drain.

In a large stock pot, saute garlic in white wine until soft and fragrant, approximately 2-4 minutes. Add onion,

celery and carrots. Saute until onions are translucent and carrots are soft but not mushy, approximately 20 minutes.

Add additional water if necessary.

Add liquid smoke.

Add rinsed, drained split peas to pot. Cover with vegetable broth. Add rosemary, thyme and ground pepper to taste.

Cover, bring to a boil. Check every 15 minutes to make sure liquid level is sufficient and stir to prevent burning on

bottom.

Then reduce heat and simmer until peas break down and are thoroughly cooked. If using a bouquet garnis, remove

from stock pot and discard.

Turn off heat, add vegan bacon bits or the homemade stuff, and let soup rest for 5 minutes before serving.

CHEF'S NOTES:

A "bouquet garnis" is a bundle of fresh herbs, which adds immense flavor to any dish! For this soup, use 3 six-inch sprigs of fresh rosemary and 4 five-inch sprigs of thyme. Bind them together tightly with plain untreated

cotton string.

Feel free to add chicken if you love cholesterol. Okay, that was tough talk! Prior to cooking the garlic, etc.,heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in the stock pot. Add 1/2-inch cubes chicken (no bones) and brown, approximately 7

minutes.

Add the cooked chicken to the soup after bringing ingredients to a full boil, allowing soup to simmer at length.

Check back here for a recipe for Homemade Tofu Bacon!