From Greg Atkinson

Like many members of my generation, I was a teenage vegetarian. The experience served me well, because in those days, in order to eat in the vegetarian style, one had to learn to cook. Most recipes for split pea soup call for ham, but this vegetarian version derives its deep flavor from an aromatic base of carrot, celery, and onion. The vegetables are slightly caramelized in oil while the peas boil in a separate pot.

Makes 8 servings

7 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups (1 pound) organic split green peas
3 medium organic carrots, peeled
1 medium organic onion, peeled
3 stalks organic celery
1/4 cup olive or canola oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Put the water, bay leaf, and salt in a soup pot over high heat, and bring to a full, rolling boil. Add the split peas, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low.

2. Meanwhile, cut the carrots, onion, and celery into 1/4 inch dice. Put the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and sauté the vegetables until they are soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the sauteéd vegetables to the pot and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally to make sure the soup isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the split peas are beginning to disintegrate, about 45 minutes.

4. Season the soup to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Remove the bay leaf and serve hot with cornbread or biscuits.
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Greg Atkinson is author of West Coast Cooking 2006and lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
© Copyright Greg Atkinson
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