Split Pea Soup is not photogenic; there’s no question about it. That doesn’t mean, however, that it doesn’t have other very laudable attributes.
I’ve blogged about this soup before, but I made it the other day and thought it was worth mentioning here for several reasons. One is that it’s a very, very tasty soup: it’s subtle but complex, smooth and I added enough curry to make it a little bit spicy. Another is that it’s very easy and uses only a few ingredients; I rounded out the meal with some cheese toasts and spinach salad. Also, split peas are insanely good for you. Finally, this soup is extremely economical; I didn’t do the math, but I’m betting that it costs only pennies per serving (even less since I used homemade chicken stock, which also adds to the health benefits), and that’s important to me this year as the hubby and I are tightening our belts a bit and living on a tighter budget than we had when I was working full time and he wasn’t yet self-employed.
In case you’re not convinced to make this, here’s what you’re doing for your body when you eat split peas:
They are an excellent source of soluble fiber, which means they catch nasty cholesterols.
The fiber also helps make you regular and minimizes irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.
They are the right kind of fiber to balance blood sugar – great for everybody, and especially for diabetics and hypoglycemics.
A bunch of the minerals help your heart.
The potassium helps with high blood pressure.
A cup of cooked peas has 16 grams of protein! Now that deserves an exclamation point!
The isoflavones can help prevent breast and prostate cancer.
They have huge amounts of molybdenum, a trace mineral that helps detoxify sulfites, which are a preservative in just about everything.
Curried Split Pea Soup, from Alton Brown
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onion
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
12 ounces dried green or yellow split peas, picked over and rinsed
5 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon curry powder
Directions
Place the butter into a large (4 to 6-quart) saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the onion and a generous pinch of salt and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sweat for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, making certain not to allow onions or garlic to brown.
Add the peas, chicken broth and curry powder. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook at a simmer until the peas are tender and not holding their shape any longer, approximately 45 to 50 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Using care and a stick blender, puree the soup until the desired consistency. Watch out for hot splatters.
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