White Lentil Split Pea And Potato Mash Food

SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• If using bacon: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 12 to 13 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel. Once cool, crumble and set aside for garnish. If using ham hock: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil, then brown the ham hock until golden, about 6 minutes. If making the soup vegetarian: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil.
• Add the onion, leeks and garlic and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. (If the vegetables seem dry, add a little olive oil.) Stir in the carrots, paprika (if using), half the split peas, thyme and 8 cups stock or water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes until peas are tender.
• Mash the soup coarsely with a potato masher or give it a few quick blitzes with an immersion blender (watch out for the thyme sprigs). If you'd prefer a smoother soup, blitz until nearly smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 pound split peas and simmer about 1 hour, or until the peas are soft. If at any point the soup looks too thick, add more stock or water; if it looks too thin, remove the lid during the second simmer until it thickens. If using ham hocks, remove any meat from the bone, cut it into small cubes and stir into the soup. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with crumbled bacon, if using, and lemon wedges.

LENTIL AND SPLIT PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Saute bacon in large saucepan over medium-high heat until fat is rendered, about 4 minutes; remove bacon; drain off all but 1 ½ tblsps of fat; add onion, carrot, leek and garlic and saute until light brown, about 10 minutes; add broth, lentils, split peas, potato, ham hock, celery, thyme and bay leaf; bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until lentils and split peas are tender, about 45 minutes; stir in red wine and simmer 5 minutes longer; discard bay leaf; remove ham hock from soup and remove any meat attached to bone; cube meat and return to soup along with chopped up bacon; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Freezer Note: Making up a double batch of soup is economical of energy and time - you'll do slightly more work now, use the same amount of energy to cook, and save yourself time and energy later on, when you want a quick, nutritious dinner. Just defrost in microwave, reheat well and serve