Green Split Pea And Bacon Soup

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large brown onion (finely chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed or minced)
• 1 1/4 cups dried split green peas (dried peas rinsed)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water (cold)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 125 g bacon (rashers shortcut rind removed)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (to serve)
• 4 crusty bread rolls (to serve, i used bacon and cheese)

Recipe

• 1 heat oil in a saucepan over medium high heat and add onion and garlic and cook stirring for about 3 minutes till onion is soft.
• 2 add peas and stir to coat.
• 3 add stock and cold water and bring to the boil.
• 4 reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered for 25 to 45 minutes or until peas are tender (see note above).
• 5 remove from heat and process half the soup in a blender or use a stick blender till smooth or do what i did and put the stick blender straight into the pot and process to your liking.
• 6 return to pot or if you just used the stick blender, stir in lemon juice and cook for 3 minutes or until heated through.
• 7 while soup was cooking in the first 25 minutes, heat a frying pan over medium high heat and add bacon and cook till crisp or use barefoot contessa's oven roasted bacon .
• 8 transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and drain.
• 9 crumble into pieces.
• 10 ladle soup into bowls and top with crumbled bacon and paprika and serve with a roll.