Yellow Pea Soup

from ‘Soups from a Monastery Kitchen by Brother Victor-Antoine, Arcadia 1996

Serves 6

Ingredients
4 Tbsp oil
2 onions, chopped
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 medium sized turnip, diced
2 l water

half a butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
200g yellow split peas
1 sprig of thyme
fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. Pour the oil into a large soup pot. Add the chopped onions and sauté them over moderate heat until the onions turn soft. 
2. Immediately add the celery, carrot and turnip. Stir the vegetables well and continue sautéing for another minute.
3. Add the water, chunhks of squash, split peas, thyme, bay leaf and chopped parsley. Cover the pot and bring the soup to the boil. 
4. Cook the soup slowly, over medium heat, for 45-60 minutes or until the peas are totally dissolved. Add salt and pepper. Stir well and simmer the soup for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and serve hot. 

(Serve as is, or may be pureed and garnished with fresh minced parsley.)