SPLIT PEA AND BARLEY SOUP

I have many favourite soups and this is one of them.  The recipe makes a big batch of soup.  With this volume of soup, I tend to freeze several single serving containers to have for future lunches.  This soup does need the almost two hours to cook as otherwise the split peas are not soft enough.

Split Pea and Barley Soup

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups green split peas (can be a mixture of yellow and green)

½ cup pearl barley

3 carrots, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

12 cups water, chicken or vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup fresh dill, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

In a large soup pot, combine all of the ingredients except for the salt and pepper and dill.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes to two hours.  If the soup is too thick add a bit of water.  Season with salt and pepper and add the dill.  Simmer for 10 minutes more.  Serves 12.

Options: When making soup you can add cut up cooked turkey, chicken or ham.

Adapted from Meal Lean Yumm by Noreen Gilletz