People like soup. People like soup but not necessarily enough to make a dozen servings. Here I come in with my new life-saving series on soups for two! Soup is a really fantastic vehicle for learning how to cook because it is very forgiving and easy to cover up your mistakes. You can learn what flavours go together and what combinations you like best. Texture is not an especially big worry since you can choose from broth-y, stew-y or blended. Honestly, I think it’s the best method to learn how to cook intuitively with.
I’m starting with pea soup because oh, my goodness! split peas are easy to make delicious. My mom made pea soup a lot when I was a kid but I hadn’t grown into liking the little pulses just yet. I regret that now.
Fast, easy and cheap, you’re going to love this soup.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes, mostly idle
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 leek, green part, diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
2 inner stalks celery, diced, green leaves included
1 large clove garlic, diced
1/2 cup diced rutabaga (optional, was a 1/4 of a large one)
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon savoury
1 bay leaf
1 cup split peas (green or yellow)
2 cups vegetable stock (or water)
2 cups water
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chop all your vegetables (or buy a pre-cut mix!). Heat the oil in a medium sized pot, over medium high heat. Add the chopped vegetables, sprinkle with salt and let them begin to sweat, stirring occasionally. Once the vegetables have begun to release their water, add the spices and cook for an additional minute. Add the split peas, stock and water and stir. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium- low and let the soup mingle at a low boil for 20 minutes, stirring every so often to prevent any sticking. The soup is ready when the peas and rutabagas are soft and most of the liquid has disappeared. Check for seasonings and serve any way you like.
If you’re keeping a serving in the fridge, make note that pulses will continue to absorb water and you may want to reheat with a little extra liquid.