Split Pea Soup

It finally happened.  It finally snowed in DC.  The best, best, best part of winter, the part that makes all those bleak, cold days worth it, is the snow.  Everything – buildings, trees, people –  looks better in the snow.  Well, everything looks better before the snow turns to slush and then turns gray and gross.  But before that point, the world is a beautiful wonderland, frosted with a sparkling coat of fluffy white snow. 

And the best, best, best part of snow is when it’s actually snowing.  Somehow, no matter what is actually happening outside, the world suddenly seems quiet, serene, and peaceful.  Those moments of calm are among the most beautiful moments I have ever witnessed.  When it's snowing, nothing else has to exist and you don’t have to worry about anything at all.  You can walk through the streets, breathe deeply, and just be.  There truly aren’t enough words in the world to express the beauty I see and the calm that I feel when snow is falling from the sky.  I would happily live in that world forever.

This cold, beautiful world also inspires me to make hot, hearty soup.  This week, it inspired me to make split pea soup, one of my personal favorites.  Something about the way the peas melt into the smooth, almost creamy green soup makes me happy inside.  I personally like my split pea a bit chunky, so rather than blending the soup, I let the peas simmer for a while and melt down on their own.

This recipe is great because it’s easy to make.  It’s also easy to transform into a slow cooker soup.  Just put all the ingredients, minus the oil, into a slow cooker and set it on low for 8-10 hours.  If you put it on before you go to work in the morning, you’ll come home to a house that smells like soup, and a hot dinner ready and waiting for you.  Add some snow falling silently outside your window and a good book to curl up with, and I call that the perfect winter evening.

Split Pea Soup

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2.5 cups dried split peas (1 pound), rinsed and picked over

10 cups vegetable stock, water, or a mix

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups of thinly sliced carrots

2 cups of thinly sliced celery

2 bay leafs

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 bunch parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Croutons (optional, to garnish)

Directions:

1.  Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  When it’s hot, add the onions and sauté for a few minutes until they soften and begin to sweat.  Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.

2.  Add the carrots, celery, peas, water/stock and herbs to the pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, and, stirring occasionally let the soup go for 60-90 minutes, partially covered.

3.  Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.  Allow the soup to simmer for another few minutes, then remove the bay leaves and ladle into bowls.  Top with croutons if you want and serve hot.

Enjoy!