Pea Soup With Chorizo and Chipotle Peppers

This comfort soup gets a wonderful smokey flavor from from the Chorizo and Chipotle Peppers in adobo sauce. You can prepare the soup without the sausage blend the soup and then top with the cooked sausage. Or save some for garnish while blending the rest into the soup.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  onion, diced
• 1  celery, sliced
• 2  medium potatoes, diced
• 2  carrots, diced
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1⁄2-1  teaspoon pepper
• 1  bay leaf
• 1⁄2 lb chorizo sausage, sliced browned and grease discarded
• 1 (16 ounce) package  dried split peas
•  salt & pepper
• 1 -2  chipotle chile in adobo, diced your choice to remove seeds
•  hot sauce (optional)

Directions

1. In a large pot heat oil add onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and carrot saute for 5 minutes add garlic, oregano, bay leaf, salt, pepper 1-2 minutes. Add sausage, chipotles, peas, and cover with enough water to completely submerge all ingredients by a couple inches.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 3-4 hours, until thickened be sure to stir throughout the cooking. The longer you cook it the thicker it gets.
3. Season with hot pepper sauce and black pepper.
4. Optional-Blend all but meat in a blender to smooth out.
5. Garnish with croutons and or sausage slices.