A Good Lunch on a Cold Day

For some reason, soup always seemed to me to be this intimidating mystery dish that only restaurants could properly serve. However, I have recently gotten over my fear and made a few. All of them have turned out well enough that I will be making them again, but the recipes, even when halved, make such a large amount that I end up with enough soup for two or three weeks. Thank goodness soup freezes.

While looking for a soup that would go with my Irish Soda Bread, I came across a recipe for split pea soup and it sounded like the perfect combination with soda bread, since both soda bread and split peas make me think of shoe-string budgets and cold winter days. I just can't bring myself to eat a green soup though, so I found this recipe for a red split pea soup. It looks much prettier than eating green mush.

Rosemary Split Pea Soup (served with Irish Soda Bread and garnished with shredded cheddar cheese)

1 1/2 cups green split peas

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

2 cups chopped onion (I used 3 T of onion powder)

2-3 stalks of celery, chopped

1 cup diced carrot

1 oz cooked pancetta, with grease

1 large bay leaf

2 teaspoons wet garlic, plus 1

1/3 teaspoon minced rosemary, plus 2/3 teaspoon

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

4 cups water

2 cups chicken stock or 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth

2 teaspoons parsley

1 teaspoon salt (If you use canned broth instead of Vegetable Stock, omit the added salt)

Wash peas; cover with water to 2 inches above peas, and set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, pancetta, and bay leaf; sauté 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 2 teaspoons garlic, 1 teaspoon rosemary, paprika, and pepper; cook 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and soy sauce; cook until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

Drain peas. Add peas, 4 cups water, chicken stock, parsley and salt to onion mixture; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour, stirring often. Discard bay leaf. Place half of soup in blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour pureéd soup into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining soup. Spoon soup into bowls, or let sit in the fridge for a day to allow flavors to come out (tastes much better the second day, as most soups do).

Adapted (only slightly) from Cooking Light.