Smoky Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup recipes are often flavored with ham hocks, but this veg version gets its smoky taste from smoked paprika and chipotle chiles. Sweet potatoes and split peas are good sources of potassium, which lowers blood pressure. If split peas are old(after about 1-2 years) they will not get tender, so check the date. Adapted from Vegetarian Times magazine(Feb. 2010).

• Ready In: 2 hrs 5 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  cup  split peas
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  teaspoon  smoked paprika (can add more to taste)
• 1  teaspoon  chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce (more if you like it really spicy)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
• 1  teaspoon oregano, chopped (optional)
• 1  large sweet potato, peeled and diced (3 cups, you can use winter squash if you like instead or even carrots)
• 2  medium onions, diced (3 cups)
• 3  celery ribs, diced (1 cup)
• 4 -6  garlic cloves, minced (4 tsp.)
• 6  cups water (or vegetable stock)
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes

Directions

1. Soak split peas in large bowl of cold water overnight(some reviewers said they boiled the peas for 30 or 40 minutes rather than soaking and it worked fine).
2. Heat oil in 3-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add paprika, chipotle, and cumin if using, and stir. Add sweet potato(or squash), onions, and celery, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, and cook 10 minutes, or until onions are soft and translucent. Add garlic, and sauté 2 minutes.
3. Drain split peas, and add to pot with 6 cups water(I use about 4 cups vegetable stock and 2 cups water). Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour. Add tomatoes, and cook 30 minutes more, or until split peas are tender.