I thought I'd try a little recipe blogging.
Normally, I like Pea Soup with ham, pork shoulder or bacon. It's a natural! But when cooking for vegetarians, you can make great Pea Soup with no meat. The 'secret ingredients' are the Balsamic vinegar, chipotle powder (the smoky flavor is critical), and dry mustard. Note that I don't use onions, which you'd expect normally. I don't really like onions (I'm weird that way), but feel free to add them to the other vegetables. I'd use a cup of 1/8" dice, like the celery.
3 - Tbsp. Olive Oil
4 - cups Vegetable Stock
3-1/2 - cups Water
1-1/2 - cups Carrots, in approx 1/4" dice
1 - cup Celery, in approx. 1/8" dice
3 - large cloves of Garlic, sliced very thin or crushed
1 - 1 lb. Pkg. Dried Peas, picked through and rinsed
1/2 - tsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 - tsp. Chipotle Powder
1 - tsp. Coleman's Dry Mustard
A few Saffron threads (optional)
2 - tsp. Salt
1 - tsp. ground Black Pepper
2 - Bay Leaves, small (or 1 large)
1/2 - tsp. Thyme
Add the olive oil to a large stock pot (I like my 5-1/2-quart Le Crueset 'French' oven) and heat over a medium-high flame. Add the carrots, celery and garlic. Saute for about five minutes, until the garlic browns slightly. Add the dried peas and stir while cooking for another two minutes. Add the stock and water and bring to a low boil. Add all other ingredients.
Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for about two hours, stirring occasionally. When the peas are soft but slightly firm, remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. IMPORTANT: Remove the Bay Leaves! Add more salt to taste, if needed. Then blend the soup in the pot using a hand-blender. Be careful not to splash hot soup all over the kitchen and yourself. Leaving the pot lid partially on as you blend can help. Blend until no large pieces remain, but NOT until completely smooth. Some texture makes the soup a lot nicer.
Serve in large soup plates with oyster crackers or homemade croutons. Alternatively, you can add a large dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt in the center. The soup should keep for four days or so in the fridge, and freezes well. Add a little water when reheating.
