Split Pea Soup

Another of my favourites for the autumn and winter season.
Split Pea Soup is very popular here in Germany.
This is my mothers recipe.
And I love it especially when warmed over the next day...



Ingredients:

500 g split peas
2 onions
4 raw potatos
5 sausages (smoked)
salt and pepper
1 liter cold water
200 g smoked bacon
2 tablespoons flour

Method:

Put the peas together with the chopped onions and the sliced sausages into a big pot. Carefully eason with salt and pepper. Pour in the cold water, so the pot contents are a hand width covered.
Bring to the boil on highest level with open lid.
Caution it may foam.
Bring to the boil, stir until the foam has settled.
Allow to simmer with lid on the lowest level about 1 1/4 hours.
Add the diced potato and simmer for 20 minutes.
For the roux,brown the diced bacon until translucent, add the flower and stir until light brown. Give the roux into the soup.

Comfort Food

Well having a look at the quite autumnal weather, I have a craving for comfort food.
Comfort food are pot-roasts (far too much effort for a weekday),
Truffade ( made of potatos,garlic and french cheese called Cantal....) and
SOUPS......

Tonight we are having a

Coconut, Lentil and Curry Soup

Easy-peasy to make and very comforting.

Ingredients:

170 g of Lentils ( I prefer the red Lentils )
white part of a Leek, diced
a diced yellow Bell Pepper
1 Carrot,diced
1 large Potato,diced
some Oil or Butter
Salt
Coriander fresh or dried
Ginger, finely grated
some Stock
Curry 1 or 2 teaspoons , depending if you are using a hot or mild Curry
Cumin
1 can of Coconut Milk (400g)

Method:

Let the butter melt in a pot.
Fry the lentils, leek, potato, ginger, pepper and carrot together with curry and some salt.
Then fill the pot with stock, the whole ingredients should be just covered with the liquid.
Then cook until the potatos are tender.
Keep watching the whole process, as the water disappears quickly and you might need to refill a bit of water during the cooking.
As soon as the potatos are tender, add the coconut milk and use a blender to mix the whole soup.
Reheat if necessary...
If you are using fresh coriander this is the time to add it.
Dried coriander of coriander powder could be added earlier.
I add the cumin after adding the coconut milk, just to refine the taste.

The Soup is quite filling, but we like to eat it with some bread.