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Urbane Guerrilla · 08-09-2006, 03:33 AM

From The Complete Book of Soups and Stews by Bernard Clayton, Jr.; Simon & Schuster, 1984, ISBN 0-671-43863-8 -- it's got the best pea soup I've ever eaten.

Green Split Pea Soup With Wine

"A hint of mustard and sesame oil and a nip of wine and vinegar give this hearty soup a special character that sets it apart . . . There is no meat or meat stock among the ingredients." --B.C.

Ingredients:
1 lb green split peas, washed, drained
5 - 6 cups water, depending on consistency desired
1 bay leaf
2 tsp salt
1 cup minced onions
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup minced celery
1 medium potato, thinly sliced
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp thyme
several drops dark sesame oil (very potent)
3 TBSP vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley to garnish
black pepper, to taste

Wash and pick over split peas. In medium saucepan, cover peas with 5 cups water. Add bay leaf and salt.

Bring to simmer over medium-low heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. While peas are simmering, cook onions, garlic, celery, potato and carrots in a large covered skillet over low heat until vegetables are soft and translucent, about ten minutes.

Add contents of skillet to the peas and continue simmering 1 hour more, a total of 2 hours.

15 minutes before serving, add tomatoes, red wine, mustard, thyme, and the few drops of sesame oil, stirring to blend well. If the soup is getting too thick, add a cup or so of water. This is really the part that makes the soup extraordinary.

Just before serving, add vinegar, chopped parsley and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Serve with burgundy wine and a robust bread.

--------

It's just fine this way, though I prefer to make it with chicken stock as this is richer, and almost never seem to have the celery or the parsley around. Haven't missed either. A good way to have very thinly sliced carrots is to take a sharp vegetable peeler and whack away at the end of the carrot, making carrot coins about a sixteenth of an inch thick. Use your largest mixing bowl to catch the carrot coins in with this method, as they tend to fly about. That and have a care for your knuckles.

08-09-2006, 03:33 AM	#53
Urbane Guerrilla Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 6,674	From The Complete Book of Soups and Stews by Bernard Clayton, Jr.; Simon & Schuster, 1984, ISBN 0-671-43863-8 -- it's got the best pea soup I've ever eaten. Green Split Pea Soup With Wine "A hint of mustard and sesame oil and a nip of wine and vinegar give this hearty soup a special character that sets it apart . . . There is no meat or meat stock among the ingredients." --B.C. Ingredients: 1 lb green split peas, washed, drained 5 - 6 cups water, depending on consistency desired 1 bay leaf 2 tsp salt 1 cup minced onions 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 cup minced celery 1 medium potato, thinly sliced 2 cups thinly sliced carrots 1 cup chopped tomatoes 1/4 cup dry red wine 1/4 tsp dry mustard 1/4 tsp thyme several drops dark sesame oil (very potent) 3 TBSP vinegar 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley to garnish black pepper, to taste Wash and pick over split peas. In medium saucepan, cover peas with 5 cups water. Add bay leaf and salt. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. While peas are simmering, cook onions, garlic, celery, potato and carrots in a large covered skillet over low heat until vegetables are soft and translucent, about ten minutes. Add contents of skillet to the peas and continue simmering 1 hour more, a total of 2 hours. 15 minutes before serving, add tomatoes, red wine, mustard, thyme, and the few drops of sesame oil, stirring to blend well. If the soup is getting too thick, add a cup or so of water. This is really the part that makes the soup extraordinary. Just before serving, add vinegar, chopped parsley and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Serve with burgundy wine and a robust bread. -------- It's just fine this way, though I prefer to make it with chicken stock as this is richer, and almost never seem to have the celery or the parsley around. Haven't missed either. A good way to have very thinly sliced carrots is to take a sharp vegetable peeler and whack away at the end of the carrot, making carrot coins about a sixteenth of an inch thick. Use your largest mixing bowl to catch the carrot coins in with this method, as they tend to fly about. That and have a care for your knuckles. __________________ Wanna stop school shootings? End Gun-Free Zones, of course.