Yellow Split-Pea Soup With Kielbasa(My Favorite Winter Soup - A Meal In Itself) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 onion, halved lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter or margarine
1 lb. dried yellow split-peas, picked over and rinsed
2 c. sliced peeled carrot
3/4 c. sliced celery
1 lb. kielbasa, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths (may use turkey kielbasa)
1/2 bay leaf

Preparation

In a heavy kettle, cook the onion in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring until it is softened.
Add the split-peas, the sliced carrot, the celery, the kielbasa, the bay leaf and 2 1/2 quarts water.
Bring the liquid to a boil, skimming the froth and simmer the mixture, covered, stirring occasionally for 3 hours.
Discard the bay leaf and transfer the kielbasa with a slotted spoon to a plate.
In a blender, puree the mixture in batches.
Transfer the puree to the kettle and thin it with hot water to the desired consistency.
Cut the kielbasa into 1/4-inch thick slices.
Quarter the slices and add them to the soup. Season the soup with salt and pepper.
Makes about 9 cups before thinning, serving 6.