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6 Ways To Spice Up Split Pea Soup

One of my favorite dishes to prepare in bulk and have around for a quick, hearty lunch or dinner is split pea soup.  Especially during the cold winter months, there’s nothing like a steaming bowl of soup to warm the bones.  I prefer my split pea soup thick, like a stew.  I don’t follow a set recipe, but it usually goes something like this:

• 2 pounds dried split peas
• 12 cups of water
• 1 large chopped onion
• 3 large chopped carrots
• 2 sweet potatoes, chopped into eighths
• 2 russet potatoes, chopped into eighths
• 10-12 mushrooms, sliced
• 3 sticks of chopped celery
• 4 table spoons of butter
• thyme
• salt
• pepper

Melt the butter in the bottom of a BIG pot.  Chop up the onion and drop it in.  Stir occasionally until the onions start to go translucent.  Chop up the carrots and drop them in.  Stir in some salt and the thyme.  Chop up the mushrooms, drop those in.  Then chop up the celery and toss that in too.  Stir fry in the butter until the mushrooms start to give up lots of water.

Toss in the potatoes and split peas.  Then add water.  Bring to boil then reduce to vigorous simmer.  Cover.  Check back occasionally to stir and check to see if the peas have gone soft.  Usually takes about 45 minutes.  You want the peas to be mush.

This makes a very thick split pea soup, which is how I like it.  It’s a big batch so you can store lots in Tupperware in the refrigerator, or freeze some for longer term storage.  It’s a snap to scoop some of this lovely green mush into a small pot, heat it over a low heat with some stirs and you have an immediate hot and healthy lunch.  After a couple of bowls though, you might get bored.  Here’s some ways I spice it up a bit:

1. Spices - This one’s a no brainer, but it will change up the dish enough to give it a fresh taste.  A few dashes of spices, herbs, more salt, or cayenne pepper will go a long way.
2. Feta & Pine Nuts – This one is both tasty and festive.  While the soup is warming, brown some pine nuts in butter (I like mine quite dark to get that toasty flavor.)  Crumble some feta and when you bowl the soup
3. Sausage – Cut up some sausage and brown it in a little olive oil (sparing!)  Then just as it’s done, toss it into the warming soup and give it a few stirs.  Serve with crackers!
4. Make it a side – Instead of making the soup a main dish, use it as a side for a main course.  This is a hearty and warming comfort dish, so it would be a good compliment to something else hearty like a small steak, or nice piece of fish.
5. Salad – Ok, not in the soup.  Along side it.  Basically you are making a meal out of two side dishes.  Great way to up the veggie count.
6. Sammich! – Make a sandwich to go with your soup.  I like to try and make it firm enough to dip, like perhaps a grilled cheese.  BLT’s are good too.

That’s my six ideas.  How would you guys spice up your soup?

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