But then Mama casually let drop that it wasn't made of green peas but green split peas, which are an entirely different vegetable, actually really a legume. And there are yellow ones. Hmmm, yellow ones look a bit like lentils. I think I could eat those.
And sure enough, I adapted one of Dean Ornish's recipes for split pea soup to yellow split peas (he says you can use all sorts of beans, including lentils--he says leftovers can be pureed to make a spread for crackers, but I don't think I'm going to have any leftovers) and was extremely pleased with the results. I substituted Herbes de Provence for the thyme because I'm just not a big thyme fan. Also, his cooking times, for me, are always off by at least 50% or sometimes even more. Here it goes:
Creamy Split Pea Soup
1 cup finely diced yellow onion
1 cup finely diced celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 1/4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups dried split peas
1 cup diced carrots
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme (I used 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence)
1/4 cup minced parsley
salt and pepper
In a large saucepan, combine onion, celery, garlic, and 1/4 cup vegetable broth. Bring to a dimmer, covered, over moderate heat, and simmer until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add split peas and remaining 8 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, cover, adjust heat to maintain simmer and cook until peas begin to soften, about 30 minutes. Add carrots and thyme. Cover and simer until carrots are tender and peas are very soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Everyday Cooking with Dr. Dean Ornish
As a boy of 8/9/10 every Friday we went by car to see my Granny in South London. On the way home to West London my father always stopped at a shop, I know not where, to buy savaloys and pease pudding. DELICIOUS. In US for savaloy read wienna. Best eaten in the back of a car in the dark. We had it as finger food! No plastic cutlery in those days, 1937/8/9.
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