I Made Vegetable and Golden Pea Soup
There’s something therapeutic in gathering vegetables to make soup
I find myself slowing down
Taking in the bright colour of the carrots
The crackle of onion skin in my hands
Peeling the skin from the potatoes or scrubbing off the soil
The tang of celery, summons a memory from childhood
At the market the scent of celery once seemed stronger than today
Frequently braised as a vegetable on its own, always added to soup or stew
Pinch out a few leaves, chop this concentrated flavour
The jar from the pantry rattles with yellow split peas, tipped into a sieve and rinsed
They will cook down making the soup thick and creamy
From the garden I collect sage and rosemary
Strip leaves from stems and chop
I clatter in the cupboard for the secret ingredient
My pressure cooker
When the handle finally parted from my old one
I was grateful to find this unused and unwanted, in an op shop
A few cups of stock into the pot
Then add everything else
Breathe the aromas as it comes to the bubble
Stir with wooden spoon so the peas don’t stick on the bottom of the pan
Pop on the lid, wait for the valve to show the pressure in the pot is up… then switch the heat off
I leave it on the hot stove and allow it to do its thing
Amazing
When the hissing stops
I remove the lid, stir, taste…
* to check the peas are cooked
* to adjust seasoning
Salt… only if absolutely necessary
Cracked black pepper, a must
It may be necessary to simmer again to fully cook the peas to extract creamy goodness
All round, this is a hearty vegetable soup in less than an hour…
Cheap and tasty, this is a very healthy meal
To make a complete meal, serve with whole meal bread and cheese
or serve a dairy based dessert
For a variation:
Float cheese toast on the soup once it’s in the bowl
Or add some bacon or leftover chicken if you don’t have a vegetarian sharing…
Enjoy…
Words and Pictures © Denise Stanford 2010
Within the Vine 