Author: admin

Servings: —
This smooth yellow soup is seasoned with fresh ginger, cumin, and lemon.

The peas benefit from being soaked at least 2 hours – they will break down more quickly and absorb less liquid when cooked.

Ingredients
THE STOCK

Use water or the Stock for Curried Soups and Dishes (page 67).

THE SOUP

2 tablespoons clarified butter or 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced into 1¼ -inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cumin seeds or ground cumin
3 cloves
1 2/3 cups yellow split peas, soaked 2 hours or longer
1 celery heart or 2 outer stalks, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small squares
7 cups water or stock
Grated peel and juice of lemon
Spiced Yogurt (see below)
Cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions
Warm the clarified butter, or butter and oil, in a soup pot and add the onion, garlic, ginger, bay leaf, and salt. Grind the cumin seeds and the cloves in a spice min, and add them to the onion. Stir everything together and cook over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the peas, and add them to the onions along with the celery, carrots, and 7 cups water or stock. Bring to a boil; then simmer until the peas have completely fallen apart, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Pass the soup through a food mill or purée it in a blender; then return it to the stove. Add more water or stock, as needed, to achieve the consistency you like. Season to taste with additional salt, the lemon peel, and the lemon juice. Serve the soup in warm bowls with a spoonful of spiced yogurt and a sprinkling of cilantro or parsley.

Servings: 6
recipeNotes: This soup always reminds me of a trip I made with some friends to Carrara to see the marble mines. It was winter, the sky was white and gray with fog and clouds, and the mountains of exposed marble were also white. None of us felt thrilled by all this cold and damp paleness; we were chilled and hungry, and there didn’t seem to be a place to eat. Finally we found a restaurant where some men were eating. There were no lights on, which should have told us it wasn’t open to the public, but we went in. In fact it wasn’t open, except to the mine workers, but we were graciously taken care of and served bowls of soup something like this one. Green Tuscan oil and crusty bread were placed on the table, as well as a bottle of Chianti, and it was one of those meals for which you are grateful from the bottom of your heart. It was exactly what we needed-warmth and nourishment, served with kindness and without pretension. When we returned to the street, we all suddenly became excited by the layers of whites and grays and the immense presence of the marble mountains.
The beans in this soup remain whole, the potatoes thicken the broth, and the herbs and vegetables contribute a splash of color. The vegetables can be prepared while the beans are cooking. This is the kind of soup that tastes better as it ages, and a bowlful can make a meal.

Ingredients
1 cup cannellini or other dried white beans, soaked 6 hours or overnight
2 quarts cold water
2 medium-sized white or red potatoes
8 large sage leaves or I teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons rosemary leaves or I teaspoon dried
3 garlic cloves
2 celery stalks
2 medium-sized carrots
1 small onion
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 cup dried pasta, a short tubular variety
salt
freshly ground pepper
extra-virgin olive oil, to finish the soup

Directions
Drain the beans, put them in a soup pot, and cover them with the water. Slowly bring to a boil; then boil vigorously for 5 minutes. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface; then lower the heat to a simmer.
While the beans are cooking, scrub the potatoes and cut them into cubes. They need’nt all be the same size-smaller pieces will break down to provide a creamy background, while large ones, say ½ inch square, will hold their shape. Chop the sage, rosemary, and garlic together. Dice the celery, carrots, and onion into small squares, no larger than ¼ inch.

Warm the olive oil in a small skillet and add the herbs, and vegetables, then salt lightly. Cook them over gentle heat for 3 or 4 minutes. After the beans have cooked for 30 minutes, add the herb-vegetable mixture to the pot. As the soup cooks, add more water in small amounts to keep it as thick or thin as you like.

Bring some water to boil for the pasta. Add salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta is barely done. Drain and set aside. When the beans are tender, stir in the pasta. Serve the soup with a cruet of extra-virgin olive oil to stir into each bowl and, if you like, a piece of hard cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, to grate over the top.