Split Pea Soup

This soup was actually created by Mariah. Mariah is actually a very good cook and she'll cook me up something every once in awhile, but it's not a hobby for her like it is for me. She made this soup the way she likes it: simple and velvety. This was the first time I had ever had split pea soup, and it was absolutely delicious! This simple recipe is a nice reminder that sometimes it's just as delicious going back-to-basics.

It goes well with a nice crusty bread.

Basic Split Pea Soup:
1 c. split green peas
2 c. water
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp. minced garlic
Vegetable broth

Rinse and pick through the peas. Bring the water to a boil, add the peas, boil for 2-3 minutes, then cover, and set aside for an hour.

When you're ready to cook the peas, change the water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until peas are soft.

When the peas are almost done, saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until nice and caramelized.

When the peas are completely done, add the onion and garlic, and using a hand blender or a regular blender, blend until nice and smooth. You will need to add the vegetable broth before blending to help it smooth out. The amount of vegetable broth you use will depend on how thick you'd like your soup to be (Mariah likes it to be a real thick, spoon-coating soup). Return to the pan to reheat a little if necessary and to serve. Enjoy!

We made this again, except we tossed in a couple of handfuls of fresh basil to the onions and garlic, and then proceeded with the recipe. It was great!