February 8, 2010: Vegan Split Pea Soup

The day my older daughter, who was then a junior in high school, proclaimed she was a vegan, was a day of infamy in our family. It marked the end of the "one-size-fits-all" kitchen. I had always indulged my family by cooking according to their individual tastes, but Claire's vegan adventure was a challenge for me. Ingrid and I still loved our cheese and real eggs, things that were made with cow's milk and butter, but Claire remained stalwart in her new-found way of life. As I chuckle about it now, I have to admit I learned how to cook meals without dependence on animal products. It made me mindful of the ingredients we put into our food and, thus, into our bodies. I surrendered and just went with it.

The following recipe, inspired by the pea soup in the "The Moosewood Daily Special" cookbook, is something I may never have tried had Claire not had her vegan period. (By the way, she fell off the wagon during her college junior year abroad in Sweden. The food her international comrades cooked in the communal kitchen was too enticing to pass up. I think salmon was the first morsel of protein that entered her system.) This soup is surprisingly good... even without a smoked ham hock. The hint of faux smoke is imparted by the dried mushrooms. Miso, fermented soy bean paste, rounds out the flavor bouquet with a nod to healthfulness (It's high in protein, low in saturated fat and contains digestive enzymes. One caution: miso has a high salt content.)

VEGAN SPLIT PEA SOUP

1/2 ounce dried mushrooms (i.e. porcini, chanterelles, shiitake)
2 cups dried split peas
8 cups water
3 bay leaves
1 t dried marjoram
2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups peeled and sliced carrots
1 1/2 cups diced celery
2 cups peeled and diced russet potatoes
1/4 cup light miso
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Chopped parsley

Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup boiling water for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy soup kettle, combine the split peas, water, bay leaves, marjoram, onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and partially cover the pot. Cook for 30 minutes.

Remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid when they are soft (don't discard the liquid!), chop them, then stir them into the soup. Strain the soaking liquid into the soup kettle. Cook the soup another 20 minutes, maintaining a low heat. Stir from time to time to prevent sticking. When the soup is thick and creamy, add the miso, then the salt and pepper, to taste. Add a touch more miso, if necessary. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with chopped parsley.