Split pea soup

Split pea soup

Core recipe

Serves 4

225g yellow split peas, soaked in cold water overnight then rinsed in a sieve

1 organic wheat-free vegetable stock cube

1 tsp organic vegetable bouillon powder

1 medium onion, peeled and sliced

1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

3 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced

Place the soaked peas in a large saucepan and cover with 1.5 litres of cold water. Add the stock cube and bouillon powder. Bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes, removing any froth with a large spoon.

Halfway through the cooking period, add the vegetables and continue simmering for a further 20 minutes until the peas and vegetables are very tender, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer to a food processor or liquidiser (the liquid will be hot so avoid splashes) and blend until smooth (you can also use a stick blender for this job). Return to the pan and heat through gently, stirring regularly. (Add more water if the soup appears to be too thick for your taste.)

Tip

Split pea soup is great for cold winter's days. This one makes keeps really well in the fridge. Add some fresh baby spinach leaves to the soup just before serving if you like.