Friday, January 27, 2012

Split Pea Soup with Mint Cream

This is an easy slow cooker recipe with a lighter taste than your average split pea soup.

Soup:
1 cup dried split peas
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 or 6 radishes, chopped (this is supposed to be 3 stalks celery, but I'm allergic)
2 cloves garlic, chopped (you could totally use garlic powder--you're pureeing it anyway)
4 sprigs fresh mint
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 ½ cups cooked green peas

Cream:
¼ cup whipping cream
¼ cup sour cream
2 Tbs finely chopped mint

1. Add all soup ingredients EXCEPT cooked green peas to slow cooker and cook on low about 10 hours or high for 5 hours, until everything is super tender.
2. Meanwhile, make mint cream by whisking cream in medium bowl until thick and folding in sour cream and mint. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Just before serving, puree soup with hand blender (or puree in batches in blender/food processor) and stir in green peas. Pour soup into bowls and add a dollop of mint cream to each.