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Split Pea Soup with Parmesan-thyme Crisps

(post, Patricia Conte)


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From my blog, Grab a Plate.

I know this is the week to make all those St. Patrick’s Day meals you wait for all year, but if I wait any longer to make Split Pea Soup with Parmesan-thyme Crisps, it'll be too hot in Phoenix to want to eat soup!

Start a new tradition
It’s not a traditional St. Patrick’s Day dish, but the soup is green, there are potatoes involved, and the Parmesan-thyme Crisps look like pretty Irish lace doilies.  So maybe this would make a great St. Patrick’s Day meal!

This thick, filling soup is something you can put together in just a little more than an hour. You basically toss the ingredients into a pot and that’s really all there is to it! The soup is low in fat and makes a hearty meat-free meal.

Parmesan-thyme crisps 
These are really easy to make and fun to use as garnish! Put them together while the soup cooks.


 You’ll need about 4 ounces of fresh Parmesan cheese (grated very fine) for 6 crisps, and about a tablespoon (or a bit more) of dried thyme.
 Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Add a tablespoon of cheese for each crisp, mounded, to a baking pan lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper (about 1/2 and inch apart).
 Use the back of the spoon to spread the cheese thin and form it into a circle, about three inches in diameter. Sprinkle a little dried thyme to the top of each circle.
 Bake for 5-7 minutes, keeping a close eye on them, or until the edges turn just slightly golden. Allow them to cool, then use a spatula to carefully remove them from the pan. Use one crisp to top each bowl of soup as garnish.

Split Pea Soup with Parmesan-thyme Crisps

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

 1-1/2 cups dried split peas, rinsed

 2 cups vegetable broth

 2 cups water

 1/2 pound potatoes (I used new potatoes), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

 1-1/2 cups carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

 1 cup onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

 2 cloves garlic, minced

 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste

 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper


Directions:

# Add the vegetable broth, water, peas, potatoes, carrot, onion, garlic, thyme and pepper to a large pot and bring to a boil.
# Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 50-55 minutes or until the peas and vegetables are tender. Stir the ingredients occasionally.
# Add the salt to the soup.
# If the soup seems too thick for your tastes at this point, add some water, stir, and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes.
# Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
# In small amounts add about half the soup, total, to a blender and puree until it’s smooth.
# Return the pureed soup to the pot and mix with the remaining soup.
# Serve warm in individual bowls, topped with a Parmesan-thyme crisp.