Yellow Split Pea Soup With Lemon - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups yellow split peas, sorted and rinsed
8 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced
2 stalks celery, diced or thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 large lemon, juice and zest of
fresh ground black pepper
paprika
fresh parsley or fresh cilantro, minced, for garnish

Preparation

Bring the peas, water, and bay leaf to a boil, then simmer until the peas are completely soft, about 45 minutes.
Remove bay leaf, press peas through a sieve and return the puree to the soup pot.
Melt butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add onions and cook until soft. Add carrot, celery, garlic, salt, and ground cumin, and cook 10 minutes.
Add the vegetables to the pea puree and simmer until they are soft. (Rinse out the skillet with a small amount of water, then add the water to the soup.) Add lemon peel and juice to taste.
Check for salt and cumin and add more of each if desired.
Finish with black pepper to taste and serve sprinkled with paprika and garnished with fresh herbs.