...and also about the split peas, which also didn't make it into this rendition of Veganomicon
Red lentils took their place, also bacon.
Never having eaten the original, I can't say whether or not this was definitely an improvement, but my suspicions are that yes.
(I do love me some split peas, and I had every intention of using them, but they weren't around, so oh well. Mess of pottage it was instead.)
Non-Vegan Non-Double Pea Soup (at least the roasted red peppers made it in there...)
Serves six-ish, or eight-ish, or somethin'-ish
4 slices good bacon, diced small
1/2 large onion, diced
1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, unseeded, minced
1 2" piece of ginger, cut in cute little wee slivers
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
A couple sprigs of fresh thyme
1-1/2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed and picked through
5 to 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 medium red bell peppers
Half a 16-ounce bag of frozen green peas
1 tsp or so thick hot sauce, preferably Drunken Angel Hot Sauce
Cook the bacon in a cold soup pot over medium heat until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; reserve. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp fat from the pot and return it to the stove over medium heat.
Add the onion and jalapeno; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Add ginger, cumin and coriander; cook, stirring, 1 minute more.
Add thyme, lentils and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are getting pretty darn tender and starting to fall apart, about 1/2 hour. Meanwhile, roast the peppers: Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning every few minutes, until blistered/blackened on all sides. Remove from the broiler and put in a bowl, then cover the bowl with a plate. Let stand, steaming, for a few minutes; then strip off the skins, pull out the stems and dice the peppery flesh.
Add diced peppers, reserved bacon and frozen peas to soup. Return to a simmer and cook for another 20 minutes or thereabouts.
Taste for salt and pepper; make adjustments accordingly; serve forth, piping hot and decidedly non-vegan.
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