Split pea soup

1. Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and dice the carrots. Wash the celery sticks, trim and finely chop. Peel and finely chop the garlic. 
2. Heat a couple of tablespoons of water in the base of a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrots and celery (if using). Sauté for 5 minutes until they start to soften, adding extra water if the veg start to stick to the bottom of the pan. 
3. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. 
4. Stir in the rinsed dried peas and mixed herbs. Stir well to combine then pour in the vegetable stock or water. 
5. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, pop on the saucepan lid and simmer for 30 minutes until the peas are soft and mushy. 
6. Turn off the heat. Blend with a stick blender to get a smooth texture. 
7. Season with salt and pepper before serving. 
8. Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge and use within 3 days. Or pop in the freezer, labelled. 

Notes

Make sure you get quick cook dried peas otherwise it will take much longer to cook. If you can’t find them, soak the dried peas for a couple of hours before hand to reduce the cooking time.

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