Yellow Split-Pea Soup With Lemon - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
1 large garlic clove, minced
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups yellow split peas, rinsed and drained, or
1 1/2 cups split peas, rinsed and drained
1 large bay leaf
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves, lightly packed or
8 ounces frozen spinach, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

In a large cooking pot, heat olive oil on medium-high heat.
Add onion and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring often, until onion is softened and starting to brown.
Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, celery, garlic, yellow split peas, chicken broth and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until carrots start to soften.
Add bay leaf and bring to boil.
Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until peas are soft but not mushy.
Discard bay leaf.
Add spinach, heat and stir for about 1 to 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted.
Add lemon juice and black pepper and stir well.
Adjust seasonings to taste.
Refrigerate any unused portions.