Split Pea Soup / Supa de mazare

Directions

1. The night before, pre-soak peas*.

2. Drain the peas. Add peas, water and bouillon to a large pot, heat to a boil, the reduce heat and simmer. Boil until peas are soft (about 45 min).

3. While peas cook, clean and chop onions, garlic and carrots. 

4. When peas are soft, add vegetables, salt, pepper and paprika. Simmer, stirring occasionally.

5. In a separate pan, melt butter over a very low flame. Add flour and cook – stirring well for 2-3 minutes.               

6. When flour takes on a golden color, add 3 large spoonfuls of the soup and mix until smooth.

7. Add butter paste to the soup pot and mix until there are no lumps.

8. Continue simmering soup over low heat until vegetables are done (soup should get thicker as it cooks). Taste, adjust seasonings if needed, and serve.

                      

Notes:  This is a great winter soup – it goes well with Cornbread**.

 

Variations: For a creamy soup – you can run it through a blender or food mill once the veggies are soft (or use a masher for semi-creamy soup). For a non-vegetarian version, you may use 1 large ham hock instead of the bouillon cubes.  If you choose to do this, be sure and boil the peas with the ham hocks for an extra 1-2 hours.  Before serving the soup, remove the ham hocks, strip them of their meat, and place meat back in soup. You can vary the seasonings if you find the recipe too bland. 

 

Substitutions: Split peas/lentils.

 

References: *Info about preparing BEANS can be found in the Food Tips section on FAQ page. **See the Cornbread recipe.