I had a marathon cooking session the other Sunday, preparing eight dishes for the family and for the freezer and for fun.  I love doing this, and posting my progress along the way on Facebook.  Great fun, gets followers to come along for the ride, and perhaps inspires a person or two to try it for themselves.  One recipe I made last week captured a bit of attention, and I decided that it needed to be posted here and there so that people could try it for themselves.

So here is a wonderful split pea soup–not the green soup with a piece of smoked ham most people are used to–a different, more aromatic and herbal treat that is just perfect for these fall days when a chill is beginning to show up.

Split Pea Soup with Rosemary

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups split peas

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup diced carrot

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon minced garlic, divided

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, divided

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon soy sauce

6 cups ( 3 cans) vegetable stock

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup fresh parsley

¼ cup low-fat sour cream

Preparation:

1.  Sort and wash peas; cover with water to 2 inches above peas, and set aside.  Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and bay leaf; saute’ 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add 2 teaspoons garlic, 1  teaspoon rosemary, paprika, and pepper; cook 3 minutes.  Add tomato paste and soy sauce; cook until liquid evaporates.

2.  Drain peas and add to pot.  Add stock and salt to onion mixture and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Discard bay leaf.

3.  In batches, place the soup in a blender and process until smooth; then pour the soup into a serving bowl.

4.  Combine remaining oil, garlic, rosemary and parsley; stir into soup.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.