Tender Little Seedlings.

Its March! Its the time for seeds, its the time for turning the garden, for renewing your beds, and for taking a breath of relieve for we know that spring is on its way.  Around the house we have signs of spring everywhere, the crocuses are coming up, the daffodils are well on their way and the birds are starting to sing before dawn.  What this also means is that roughly three weeks ago in February I hunkered down and planted some seeds indoors and have continued to do so, allowing for those tender plants to have a longer growing season.

And what have I planted thus far? I am SO glad you asked. In February I planted Cucumbers, 4 breeds of tomatoes, Fennel, Cauliflower, Celery, Purple Basil, and Broccoli. All of the seedlings are coming up beautifully as you can see from my photos.

Slow Cooked Split Pea Soup (Gluten Free)

I love to cook, its a simple fact. I receive great joy from creating wholesome and nutritious meals which I can create with my own hands for the benefit of others. Also, I am a follower of the slow food movement - I truly believe that homed cooked and thoughtful meals feed the body and soul far more holistically than any pre-packaged food is capable of.

Today is a rainy day in lovely New Westminster, the perfect day for a slow cooked pea soup.

Cook time 1 hr. (roughly - could be more, could be less, I don't know why - its the arcane magic of cooking)

Prep Time: 2hrs (for peas to soak)

Ingredients:
2 Cups Dried Split Peas
2 Containers Chicken Broth
1 Medium Onion (Diced Small)
2 Carrots (Diced Small)
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 Bay Leaves
Salt or Herbamare to taste
1 tsp White Pepper (Optional)
2 tsp Better than Bouillon Chicken (Optional)
1 strip of smoked bacon (Optional)


It is always best to soak your split peas in hot water. I generally soak mine for 2 hours before cooking. Don't forget to rinse them well or they will produce a foamy sludge on the top of your soup.

Once your peas are done soaking and are rinsed, let them stand and drip a bit while you gather the remaining ingredients.

 

 

Add your 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of oil to your pot, heat on med/low. Add your onions and carrots, white pepper, bay leaves and optional ingredients. Stir for 10 to 12 minutes until onions are translucent - you can add a bit of chicken broth if things start to cook too fast.

 



At this point, taste the reduced broth with vegetables to make certain it is to your liking, I am an avid taste tester while cooking, making certain that the balance of salts, herbs, vegetables and meats are producing the flavors that I want. Remember, staggering ingredients will layer your flavors and make some more intense, depending on your palate you may want to do this.

Once the onions are soft and the balance of your base is to your liking, add the split peas, stir all ingredients together to coat the peas, allow it to cook while being stirred about 5 to 10 minutes.

Once all ingredients are coated, add your 2 containers of chicken broth. Stir from the bottom and reduce to low heat. Cover and reduce heat to low, cook for 1 hour - check on your soup every 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from the bottom and testing for taste. The soup should be at a medium simmer for this first hour

At about the 35 to 40 minute mark you will notice that your broth has reduced - this is perfectly normal. If the flavors are becoming too intense or too salty, add a half cup of water until it is to your liking. IF by any chance you see a foam at the top of your soup, simply skim with a spoon, this is caused by the peas not being fully rinsed.

Soup will be done when the peas are mashy and soft  and fall apart into a green pea goo in your mouth, though it will be a delicious goo - Oh, and I forgot to take a picture of the finished product, oh well. Enjoy your soup!

- Nicey