Celebrate Oktoberfest with an old-fashioned split pea soup laced with slices of zesty Kielbasa sausage and a barrel full of chunky vegetables, a cherished meal any time of year, but especially when the fall weather turns chilly. A soup that's robustly flavored, thick, and hearty has no equal. Seems nothing can take its place when every spoonful blooms with satiety. Enhance the soup with a hearty selection of vegetables, and it only gets better. While some people prefer their pea soup smooth and creamy, others like a chunkier texture. Whether you partially puree the soup or leave all the veggies intact, you can't miss with an old pal like split pea soup. If, by chance, there is some soup left over, you'll notice it has become quite thick. That's typical of legumes, especially split peas. Thin it to your preferred consistency with water or low-sodium vegetable broth and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
OKTOBERFEST SPLIT PEA VEGETABLE SOUP
WITH KIELBASA Yield: 6 generous servings
9 1/2 cups (2 liters plus 360 ml) water 2 large garlic cloves, crushed 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed in a mortar and pestle 1 bay leaf Freshly ground pepper to taste 1 (14-ounce/396g) package Tofurky Kielbasa Sausage, cut into 1/4-inch (.64 cm) thick slices
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
Notes:
Alternatively process the peas and vegetables in the blender in batches and add the Kielbasa before serving. I've listed the parsnip as optional because it may not be readily available in all markets. That single parsnip imparts such an irresistible touch of delicate sweetness to the soup that I always make a special effort to hunt for it. You may have different vegetable preferences and can easily turn to variations like 2 turnips, diced, 1 green bell pepper, 1 or 2 large tomatoes, chopped, 1 or 2 zucchinis, chopped, or 1/2 pound (226g) green beans, cut into 1/2-inch (1.27 cm) lengths.
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