Pepper Pea Soup

With a recipe submitted by a friend of this blog, I made this soothing, creamy soup. It had a perfect blend of flavors. Divine!

Serves 6.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp butter (some good olive oil can be used instead of some of butter)
• 1/2 c yellow split peas
• 1 large carrot, minced
• 1/4 med. onion, minced
• 1 large celery stalk, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 medium jalapeño pepper (wrinkled peppers are better!)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp whole leaf savory
• 8 c water
• black pepper to taste
• salt to taste (Celtic sea salt is best!)

Instructions:

1. In a large pot over low heat, sauté peas, then add prepared carrot, onion, celery, and garlic for 8-10 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
2. Add tomato paste, and sauté for a few more minutes. Add whole jalapeño pepper, bay leaf and savory. Cook until fragrant.
3. Pour in water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for forty minutes, stirring and skimming off any impurities that rise to the surface every 20 minutes or so. (If peas are tough, keep cooking, adding water as needed.)
4. When peas are well cooked and tender, remove bay leaf and jalapeño pepper. Seed pepper, adding back in.
5. When soup has slightly cooled, puree in food mill or using immersion blender. (A stand blender may be used, but be careful. Hot liquid will put out hot pressurized steam, so leave the center cap off the lid and hold a towel over it.)
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.