Herbed Pumpkin And Split Pea Soup

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/4 lb split peas
• salt
• 4 cups chicken stock or 4 cups vegetable stock
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 lb chunked fresh pumpkin, with out peel
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 cup chopped yellow sweet onion
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 -2 slice crumbled cooked bacon (to taste, leave out if making vegetarian) (optional)
• chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Recipe

• 1 rinse split peas in cold water then add to stock in a large, heavy pot.
• 2 add pumpkin and remaining ingredients except for the parsley garnish.
• 3 simmer gently, partly covered, until peas and pumpkin are tender.
• 4 remove half of the soup from the pot and, either using a blender or immersion blender, puree half of the soup.
• 5 re-combine the pureed soup with the other half, and stir in 1/2 cup half and half.
• 6 season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot, garnished with parsley.