Conference turris::cooks

This recipe is as easy as it is good:


	1/2 pound dried green split peas
	1   large onion chopped
	1   can cambells double strength beef broth
	1/2 pound chouriso (hot portugese sauage) chopped
	1T  white vinegar
	2T  Soy sauce
	    garlic to tase
	    salt and pepper to tase

	
Saute the onion and the chouriso over low heat in a small kettle
until the onion is translucent and the sausage has rendered.
Add the can of beef broth. Pour in the peas, then add enough water
to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat
to a happy simmer.

In about a half an hour the peas will swell, add more water as
they do to keep the soup from boiling dry. After about an hour
the peas will soften an break down. At this point I pull out my
whisk an stir vigiously. This breaks the peas down even further.
The process repeats until the soup reaches the consistancy I like
if you like your more smooth continue stiring cooking and adding
more water if needed. At this point add the garlic, vinegar, 
soy sauce, salt and pepper.

You can make this soup as thin or as thick as you like by adding
more or less water.

-vicki

    I don't have a recipe with exact measurements, but I think you could
    make a try by adding a little of this and that as I do.
    
    Rinse and soak 1 lb. of split peas.(1 bag.) Put the peas in a 4-5
    qt. pan add a ham bone if you have one. Grate 2 medium carrots into
    the pot, add a chopped onion. I always season with a bay leaf, and
    salt and pepper as desired. let it simmer the longer the better,
    just stir it every now and then. If you have some left over ham,
    chunk some of it up and add to the soup.
    When it's ready (you'll know it), take the bone out and serve. I
    would say that the total time of cooking is around two hours. No
    need to strain it or put it through a ricer. You can also add a
    can of tomato soup if you like, this gives it a unique flavor.

I always start out with the unsoaked peas in chicken stock.  It takes a little 
longer to cook, and I cook it till the peas ain't peas no more.  The rest of 
it goes just like .1.

						     
							- JP

	Split Pea Soup - deluxe edition
    
    First off, there's no reason to cook a small batch of pea soup.
    It takes too darn long, and you have too little to show for it when
    you're done. Make a big batch, and for that you'll need about an
    eight to twelve quart stockpot. Then freeze the excess, and you're
    set for pea soup whenever you choose.
    
    Pea soup, when done right, is a sacred food. It's high in both protein
    and fiber, it's warm and thick like stew on a snowy day, and offers
    major opportunities for creative cooks. This is the way we do it
    back home in northern Michigan (where they grow them).
    
    4 lbs. smoked picnic shoulder            two 1-lb bags of peas
    six large potatoes		             1 pound bag carrots, washed
    2 cups washed chopped parsley	     3 bay leaves
    5 medium onions, chopped		     2T thyme
    3T Rosemary				     1T sage
    1T marjoram                               about 20 cloves
    salt			             pepper
    white vinegar
    
    Insert cloves into the picnic shoulder (studded) and roast at 350F
    until done. Be sure to use a rack to let the fat drip off. Rinse
    peas twice in cold water, stirring with fingers. Drain, add six
    cups cold water and 1/2 cup vinegar, cover, and let stand overnight.
    De-clove the picnic shoulder, and cut into 3/4 inch cubes. Save
    bone.
    
    Bring peas to boil, reduce to simmer. Cube potatoes into 3/4 inch
    cubes, add to peas. Add parsley, carrots, ham, bone, and spices.
    Add water so that everything is covered. Using 6T fat from picnic
    shoulder, or butter, sautee' onion until almost clear and add.
    Cover and reduce heat to minimum. Stir vigorously every half hour,
    simmer whole arrangement for at least six hours. Remove the bay
    leaves if you can find them, discard bone, and serve with sourdough
    biscuits.  Makes about three gallons, serves roughly fifteen.
    
    If you have a larger stockpot, double ingredients and make six gallons.
    There is NEVER too much pea soup. I just need a bigger stove.

    We follow the recipe on the bag of peas and through in a ham hock
    for added flavor.  Ham hocks can be found at your local butchers,
    are inexpensive and extremely flavorful.  Have the butcher crack
    it for you.
    
    Lynne
    

    I don't follow a recipe when I make pea soup either.  In addition
    to the veggies mentioned in the previous notes (carrots & onion)
    I also add diced potato.  Also, I add quite a bit of curry powder
    and a splash or two of sherry.
    
    Pea soup freezes well and is great on a cold winter night.
    
    Evelyn

    Split pea (either green or yellow) is our mainstay during the winter.
    I just follow the recipe on the back of the split pea bag and add
    a ham hock.  Usually I serve it with cornbread and honey butter.
    The nice part is that the soup freezes well, so we end up with soup
    for supper and a container for the freezer.
    
    Happy eating,
    
    Lynne
    

    How about Lentil Mushroom Stew?
    
    Simmer one bag of lentils for one hour in a large pan 1/3 - 1/2
    filled with water.
    
    Then add chopped carrots, celery and a can of whole tomatoes and
    simmer another hour.
    
    On the side, saute sliced mushrooms and chopped onions in oil, pepper
    and basil.  When softened, add to the main pot and simmer a little
    longer.
    
    You may want to add a little salt - I don't usually use salt when
    cooking, but this recipe tends to taste a little better with just
    a few dashes.
    
    Serve with Italian or French bread, or if you have a recipe, Irish
    soda bread.
    
    Very filling and warming on a cold winter's night.
                  

    What with zucchini season upon us, and it getting cooler, I made
    up this recipe to both enjoy pea soup and disguise zucchini.  My
    summer-squash hater did not even notice the zucch!
    
    1 cup dried split green and/or yellow peas
    1 large onion, chopped
    1 medium zucchini, grated
    1 large or 2 med carrots, chopped
    1 huge or 2 regular tomatoes (garden overproduction on these, too)
    2-3 cups water
    butter if desired, or butter buds if dieting
    1/2 lb chunk of ham, cut into little cubes (I used turkey ham)
    seasonings - summer savory, garlic, parsley, pepper, soy or
       worcestershire sauce (a tbsp or 2 of the sauce), as
       desired.

    Chop onion.  Put a teaspoon or two of oil (olive or whatever) into
    a large pot.  Saute onion over med-low heat until soft.
    Put water and peas in pot.  Raise heat to simmering.  Start cutting
    up everything else, adding it as you go.  Regulate temperature
    so that the pot of soup is simmering nicely, not boiling.  Cook
    so that the peas have cooked for a total of about 1 1/2 hours.
    They should be soft but not mushy.  Stir occasionally, and add
    more water if needed so that it's a soup, not a stew.  Unless
    you like pea stew, in which case just make sure it doesn't burn!

    Serve with hot bread - the irish soda bread I entered a few weeks
    ago is great with this.  I made it with 1 cup cornmeal and the rest
    white flour, continuing as per recipe for the rest of the ingredients.
    MMmmmmmm.

Lentil Soup with Kielbasa

    This soup is very thick -- almost like a stew.  It's easy and
    gets rave reviews.

3 tblsp oil
1 chopped onion
2 c thinly sliced carrots
1-1/2 c thinly sliced celery
1 c uncooked lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 16-oz can whole tomatoes
6 c water
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb kielbasa, in one piece (don't cut)
1/2 c uncooked rice
1 tsp thyme
3 tblsp wine vinegar
chopped parsley

Heat oil in large pot.  Add onion and saute until tender.  Add carrots and
celery and saute about 3 min longer.  Add lentils, undrained tomatoes,
water, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and kielbasa.  Cover and simmer gently for
1 and 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Add rice, thyme, and vinegar, and
simmer covered for 30 min more.  Remove bay leaf and kielbasa.  Cut
sausage into bite size pieces.  Return to soup and heat through.  Garnish
with parsley before serving.  Serves 6. 

    This is a spicy soup, it may not be what you had in mind but it's
    a real tasty soup.
    
    
    			BLACK BEAN SOUP
    
    			8oz. dry black beans
    			2oz. chopped bacon
    			1 medium onion, peeled and diced
    			1 medium red bell pepper, diced
    			1T. diced garlic
    			2T. chili powder
    			1-2T. cumin
    			1/4c. tomato puree
    			2qts. chicken stock
    			salt and pepper to taste
    			sour cream chopped ham and scallion (optional)
    
    	Soak beans overnight in enough water to cover. Rinse well. In
    	a large pot, saute bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and discard
    	all but a tablespoon of grease. Add onion and red pepper to
    	pot and saute until the onion is soft. Add garlic, chili powder
    	and cumin and saute, stirring about one minute. Stir in puree
    	and bacon. Add chicken stock and black beans. Bring to a boil,
    	reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, about one hour.
    	In a processor or blender, process soup until uniformly chunky.
    	Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with
    	sour cream, ham and scallions. serves 8-10
    	
    

  "Pistou" is the Provencale word for the Italian "pesto" (this language
  is spoken in the Provence region of France which borders Italy on the
  Mediterranean). So you might want to check your cookbooks again
  looking under "pesto". Also, take a look at notes 2316, 1400, 1260,
  and 154 in this conference.

  Pesto is made from basil (finely ground) and olive oil, and often pine
  nuts (pignolia). The dish you had was probably similar to "Soupe au
  Pistou", which is popular in Provence, and is usually just potatoes
  and a few other vegetables (garlic, celery, sometimes onion, tomato,
  green beans, parsnip, etc) with pesto added. Almost any bland potato
  soup becomes Soupe au Pistou with the addition of pesto, which gives
  the dish it its name and flavor.

    Sorry to dissapoint .1, but pestou is not pesto, the
    basil/oil/garlic/parmesan you mention but something totally different,
    in Spanish is pisto, italian, pestou, and it consists of refried cut
    vegetables (green pepper, suchini, green beans, eggplant, and
    others)mixed with a tomato sauce made with plenty of onions and italian
    herbs. The soup version should have less tomato sauce and more beef
    stock to make it "soupy".  I just love a good portion of "Pisto" with a
    good loaf of crunchy bread and some good wine and...there is no better
    meal!  I'll try to find a recipe I had somewhere to post it here...
    Ana
    

Re                     <<< Note 2404.3 by DUGGAN::MAHONEY >>>
                             -< "Pisto" no Pesto >-

>    in Spanish is pisto, italian, pestou, and it consists of refried cut
>    vegetables (green pepper, suchini, green beans, eggplant, and
>    others)mixed with a tomato sauce made with plenty of onions and italian
>    herbs.

  That sounds a lot like ratatouille, for which I don't know the Italian
  word. I don't speak much Italian, nor Provencale for that matter, but
  I do know that the dish described in .0 is a fairly good description
  of "soupe au pistou", a dish which I ate (and made) many times during
  the 5 years we lived in Provence, and which is made with pesto. I have
  several recipes for it at home, and will post one when I get a chance.
  The author of .0 can decide which dish the one she had in the
  restaurant resembles.

  I checked some of our cookbooks last night, and stopped looking after
  the sixth recipe. They're all pretty much the same, and are a fairly
  bland vegetable stew/soup to which pistou/pesto is added to give it
  some flavor. One of the books ("Cuisine Nicoise" by Jacques Medecin)
  explained that "pistou" is a nicois word meaning "pounded" ("pesto",
  "pestle"), and that it refers to a thin paste or sauce made from olive
  oil and basil. Nicois is a language which was spoken in Nice, which is
  in eastern Provence close to Italy, and Medecin's recipe was the only
  one which didn't include tomatoes in the recipe for the pistou. I
  suspect that "Italian Pistou" refers to the pistou/pesto which is made
  without tomatoes -- i.e., the Italian pesto. The other recipes from
  central and western Provence all use tomatoes in the pistou. Anyway,
  here's a nice recipe from "La Cuisine de Provence Luberon" (the
  central area of Provence), by Monique A. Gruenais-Vanverts. It's one
  of the more involved ones, but it gives an idea of what can go into
  the dish.

  Soupe au Pistou (serves 8)

  The vegetable soup:

  1/2 lb potatoes (about 2 medium)
  1/2 lb green beens
  1/2 lb pea pods
  1/2 lb snap peas
  1/2 lb dried red or kidney beans
  1/2 lb zucchini
  1/2 lb carrots
  2 leeks
  3 cloves garlic
  2 peeled tomatoes
  1 shallot
  Thyme, bay leaf, rosemary, sage, basil to taste.
  1/4 lb pasta

  Shell the pea pods and discard the pods. Cut vegetables into pieces of
  whatever size you like. Place everything except the pasta in a large
  pot with 3 quarts of water and cook for 1 hour at a high simmer. Add
  the pasta and cook for another 10 minutes or as long as the pasta
  requires to cook. Serve either with the pistou on the side (for people
  to add themselves) or already added.

  The pistou:

  2 peeled tomatoes (leave out for Italian or Nicois recipe)
  1 cup fresh basil
  3 cloves garlic
  1/2 cup olive oil
  1 tbs grated parmesan or gruyere
  salt, pepper to taste

  Chop the basil, garlic and tomatoes separately until very fine --
  almost to a paste, then combine them. Stir in the olive oil until the
  mixture forms a thin paste or thick sauce. Add the grated cheese, and
  salt and pepper to taste.

  Some comments:

  Some recipes call for stock (vegetable, chicken or beef) instead of
  water. A stock will give it a richer flavor, because it contributes
  protein. Some recipes call for several hours of simmering at very low
  heat, adding vegetables so that they will all be done at the same
  time. All recipes used (in the soup):

  Potatoes
  Green beans
  Zucchini
  Onion, shallot or leek
  Pasta

  Various recipes call for other vegetables, such as tomatoes, carrots,
  beans, etc. Some use garlic. None of them used green peppers, which
  you could add if you want, but which would give a strong flavor and
  change the basic taste.

  In the pistou, all of the recipes except Medecin's use varying amounts
  of tomato. Some use cheese, some don't. Some use garlic, some don't.

  Many of the recipes suggested that the dish goes well with a dry rose
  wine from Provence (something which is hard to find in the States).

  I just realized, on rereading the recipe, that 1/2 cup olive oil is
  probably too much. I was translating from the French recipe which
  called for "un demi verre" (a half glass), which is an old-fashioned
  measure. Modern recipes specify quantities in metric. I guessed that a
  half glass might mean 1/2 cup, but after a little thought, that seems
  like too much. Go with 1/4 cup, instead, and see how it looks. The
  idea is to use enough oil to get the right consistency. Medecin's
  recipe (in front of me now) only calls for 3 tbs olive oil and six (!)
  tbs grated cheese.

  He also adds some comments about the pistou: never let it cook. This
  ruins the flavor. It must be added at the last possible moment for the
  dish to taste right. Also, all the ingredients of the pistou
  (including the cheese) are combined *before* adding the olive oil.
  That's probably because his recipe uses so much cheese. Some recipes
  call for no cheese at all. He also calls for using a mortar and pestle
  to get the basil and garlic to a creamy paste, rather than a knife
  (which I use), and says never never use a garlic press, as that will
  separate the pulp from the juice, and ruin the flavor of the garlic.
  Well, you know these French chefs can be very fussy!

There's also a recipe for _soupe au pistou_ in _Mastering The Art Of French
Cooking Vol 1_, by Julia Child et al. They suggest passing the pistou in a bowl
so each diner can add the amount they wish.  Veggies will note this is a
meatless dish, but it almost tastes as rich as meat stock.  Fresh ingredients
here are a must; apparently, it is a seasonal dish.

John

    		Here's a good soup recipe that I got from a package of 
    	beans that I bought at Idylwilde.  For Weight Watcher folks, if
    	you reduce the beans to 12 oz., you get 8 servings, with each
    	serving counting as either 3P, 2P 1B, or 1P 2B.  
    
    	--Sharon
    


                                Mixed Bean Soup


        2 cups mixed beans (1 lb.)
        4 cups water
        1 T salt
        2 quarts water
        8 oz. ham, diced
        1 large onion, chopped
        1 large can tomatoes, chopped
        2 tsp chili powder
        juice of 1 lemon
        salt and pepper to taste

        Wash beans.  Place in a large pot with 4 cups of water and salt.
        Soak overnight.

        Drain beans and add 2 quarts of water and ham.  Simmer slowly
        for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  Add onion, tomatoes, chili powder, lemon
        juice, salt, and pepper to taste.  Simmer at least 30 minutes
        longer.

     
    

                <<< PAGODA::DUB19:[NOTES$LIBRARY]COOKS.NOTE;5 >>>
                         -< How to Make them Goodies >-
================================================================================
Note 2439.1                     Caribbean Recipes                        1 of 10
WILKIE::RICHARDSON                                   58 lines   1-JUN-1990 19:02
                              -< Black bean soup >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know if this is truly Caribbean in origin, but it sounds like something
that you would like. The coolness of the sour cream is a treat against the 
spiciness of the soup. 


EAST COAST GRILL'S SPICY BLACK BEAN SOUP

Serves 8

    3 cups dried black beans
  1/4 cup oil
    2 medium onions, finely chopped
    2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
    1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock, free of fat
    1 bay leaf
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pile the beans into a large bowl and add enough water to cover them by several
inches. Leave the beans at room temperature overnight.

The following day, drain the beans, rinse them with cold water, and set them
aside.

In a large flameproof casserole heat the oil and add the onions. Turn the heat 
to low and let the onions cook gently, shaking the pan once or twice, for eight
minutes, or until they are softened but not browned.

Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, and red pepper flakes to the onion mixture 
and cook over medium heat for one minute.

Add the drained beans to the oil and stir them thoroughly so that they absorb
the oil in the pan.

Pour in the chicken stock, add the bay leaf, salt, and pepper, and bring the 
mixture to a boil.

Lower the heat, cover the pan, and let the soup simmer gently for 55 minutes
or until the beans are quite tender.

Remove the bay leaf from the pan. In a blender or food processor work five 
cups of the soup until it forms a coarse puree. Return the pureed soup to 
the to the remaining soup in the pan and stir it in thoroughly.

Reheat the soup, taste it for seasoning, add more stock if the soup is too 
thick to ladle, and ladle the soup into bowls. Add the garnish and serve at 
once.

GARNISH

  1/2 cup sour cream
  1/4 red onion, finely chopped
  1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley

Add a spoonful of the sour cream to the center of leach bowl and garnish the
cream with some red onion and parsley.

    My paramour wants me to make "ham and bean soup" like her mother made
    when she was a kid, but she has no more information about it.  Any
    suggestions?  What kind of bean (navy? kidney?), should I use beef or
    chicken stock or water, veggies like potatoes, carrots, celery, or
    onions, should I puree it, etc?  How much ham, and do I add it at the
    beginning or end?
    
    (I make bean soup all the time, but usually vegetarian.)
    
    D!

    For ham and bean soup I usually boil up a ham bone left over from a ham
    dinner, along with some navy or northern beans, onions, garlic,
    carrots, and celery.  Any leftover ham can be cut up and added to the
    point towards the end of cooking.  If you want a thick soup, scoop out
    some of the beans towards the end of the cooking time, mash them up,
    and pour the mash back in.

    I never have a Ham Dinner (live alone); where can I buy a ham bone?
    Will smoked ham hocks do?
    
    D!

    You should be able to get a home bone from the local butcher or meat
    counter.  Smoked ham hocks will do, but they will give a different
    flavor to the soup.

    Can you check with her first, or is this a surprise dinner? I ask
    because some people prefer a smoked flavor, so using a smoked ham-hock
    is perfect.  You might also want to try using a combination of beans,
    but I prefer navy beans.  My personal favorite is to sautee sliced
    carrots and onions in a hint of olive oil.  Add the beans (soaked
    overnight or par-boiled for 10 minutes, turn off the heat, and let them
    sit in the hot water for 1 hour), chicken stock, smoked ham hock, and a
    couple of tablespoons of tomato paste. Simmer until the beans are fork
    tender, take about 1/4 of them out and puree them, then add them back
    in to thicken.  
    Sarah   

    One of my family favorites is ham and lima beans cooked together as
    mentioned in one of the previous replies.  If you don't have a ham, try
    a slice of ham or ham steak.
    
    Have to serve it over corn bread to really do it right.
    
    mj

                             HAM AND BEAN SOUP
                             
       1 left-over semi-boneless ham (which means, WITH BONES)
         There should be a minimum of 2 cups equivalent of meat
         remaining. Carve the ham off the bone in large chunks.
         Remove as much of the fat as possible.
       
       1 Bag of white beans
       
       1 Medium onion, chopped coarsely
       
       1 Medium carrot, chopped coarsely
       
       1 Stalk celery, sliced and chopped coarsely
       
       1/4 to 1/2 tsp Marjoram, depending on its strength

       1/2 tsb freshly ground pepper (gourmet mixture is nice for this)       

       1/4 cup dry sherry
       
       In a large covered soup pot, soak the beans overnight in water.
       The next day, discard that water. Add the ham and bone, and enough
       fresh water to cover everything (probably 2-3 quarts). Set this
       on the stove to boil lightly (more than a simmer, less than a
       rolling boil) for 2 hours, covered. Stir occasionally. Then add
       onion, carrot, marjoram and pepper. Continue cooking for another 1
       to 2 hours.  During the last (uncovered) hour or so, pick out the
       bone(s) and chunks of separated fat.  Look at every chunk of ham,
       and remove any cartilage and stuff.  Return all nice pink ham to
       the pot. (The way my mother made this, each chunk of ham was about
       the size of my soup spoon.) Five to ten minutes prior to serving,
       stir in the sherry.

    
	BLACK BEAN SOUP

	3/4 c. 	 chopped onion
	3 1/2 c. vegetable stock
	3 	 cloves garlic (minced)
	1 lg. 	 carrot chopped
	1 lg 	 stalk celery chopped
	1 tsp. 	 coriander
	1 tsp. 	 cumin
	2 c. 	 cooked black beans
	1/2 c. 	 orange juice
	1/4 c. 	 sherry

	1/4 tsp. black pepper
	1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
	1/2 tsp. lemon juice
	1/2 c. 	 apple juice

	Saute onion in 1/2 cup stock about 5 minutes.

	Add carrots, onions, and garlic saute another 5 minutes, adding 
	more stalk if necessary.

	Add beans, coriander, cumin, beans, orange juice and sherry.  
	Simmer for 20 minutes.

	Add peppers, lemon juice and apple juice.

	Remove 1/2 of the soup and puree in a blender or food processor.  
	Puree til smooth.

	Add back to the soup.  Serve

	Makes 4 - 1 cup servings