Great Split Pea Soup, Lousy Toothpick Dispensers

If you have taken California's coastal highway, and not had some of Pea Soup Andersen's split pea soup, you are a fool.

It's excellent soup.

That being said, be careful with the toothpicks.  I have been ribbed about this for over 4 decades. 

In any case, here is the recipe.  It's vegetarian, but you can order it with ham.

If you wanted to keep kosher, you could add pastrami.

Andersen's Split Pea Soup

Vintage recipe for Andersen's Split Pea Soup from Andersen's Restaurant in Buellton, California. Family recipe. Vegan, Gluten Free.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: soup recipe

Kosher Key: Parve

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 236kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups green split peas
• 1 rib celery, coarsely chopped (single piece from a stalk)
• 1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1 bay leaf, crumbled into very small pieces
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Sort the peas in a mesh strainer, removing any stones or impurities. Rinse them clean.
• Combine the peas, celery, carrot, onion, thyme, bay leaf and cayenne in a soup pot and cover with 2 quarts (8 cups) of water.
• Bring the pot to a boil. Keep at a high simmer for 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat to a low simmer. Let the mixture cook for another 25-30 minutes till the peas are completely tender. Towards the end of cooking, add the seasoned salt, then add salt and pepper to taste. I use about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper. Use less if you're sodium-sensitive.
• Process the pea mixture through a food mill or a fine mesh sieve. A food mill will create the smoothest, creamiest texture.
• Process the pea mixture until all of the liquid is pushed through, and only pulp remains.
• A creamy soup will result.
• Bring the soup to a quick boil once more on the stovetop, then remove from heat immediately. If the soup seems too thick, add some hot water to thin it out to the desired consistency.
• Serve hot. I like to garnish the soup with a few breadcrumbs. Omit them to keep the soup gluten free and vegan. Keep leftover soup in a sealed tupperware. When the soup is chilled, it will solidify. Adding a little water and stirring as you reheat will help the soup to heat up more smoothly.

Notes

You will also need: Soup pot. mesh strainer, food mill

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 16g | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 720mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1825IU | Vitamin C: 3.4mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg