A New Twist: Yellow and Green Split Pea Soup

In efforts to stick to my resolution to clean out the pantry and use up some of the beans and grains that have been in there too long, I made yellow and green split pea soup today. I can only remember making split pea soup once, and likely because of this, I've had a jar full of split green peas in my cupboard for years. Well no more.


This vegetarian recipe is a twist on a classic by combining yellow and green split peas, roasted garlic and miso. It's thick, creamy and full of bright flavours - with not a ham hock in sight.

I adapted this version from The Millennium Cookbook, recipes from the Millennium Restaurant in San Francisco. I haven't made a lot out of this cookbook, I always feel overwhelmed by the number of ingredients and parts to each recipe. So, I reduced the number of ingredients in this version and skipped the smoked dulse gremolata.

All great chefs encourage people to improvise, something I don't do nearly enough. I need to follow my culinary instincts more and do more free-styling in the kitchen. What you make will still turn out and you'll still be happy with the results. I'm sure happy with this one.


Yellow and Green Split Pea Soup (serves 6)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
1 bulb of garlic, roasted
2 carrots, peeled and cut into a small dice
2 celery stalks, cut into a small dice
1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
1 teaspoon dried dill
8 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup dried split green peas
1/2 cup dried split yellow peas
2 tablespoons light miso
juice of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Soak the dried green and yellow peas for one to four hours, or overnight if possible.

Slice the top of the garlic bulb, drizzle a little olive oil, salt and pepper over the garlic and roast in the oven at 350 for about 20 to 30 minutes. Once the garlic is soft and golden in colour, remove from oven and set aside.

In a large soup pot, cook the onions in two tablespoons olive oil for 10-15 minutes, until translucent and beginning to caramelize. Add carrots, celery, salt and pepper and continue cooking a few more minutes. Next, add roasted garlic, minced sage, dried dill and saute for two more minutes.

Add the stock and split peas. Cover and simmer for about one hour or until the peas are soft. Check the soup occasionally, and skim the form off the top of the soup, and stir.

Once the peas are soft, puree the soup until smooth. Stir in miso, lemon juice and more salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy.