Split Pea, Vegetable and Bacon Soup for the Whole Family

How is it still soup season?  It's May!  Still, it's at least 5 degrees below the normal temperature for this time of year, brrr, reluctantly I've switched off my heating and soup is what I wanted to warm me up.  Yummy, comforting and like a little cuddle in a bowl.

Bacon is pretty salty so I kept the portion size small for my toddler son.  I wouldn't recommend it for babies because of that but you could always reduce the amount of bacon if you prefer.  Also feel free to increase or change the proportions or type of vegetables.  This was simply what was in my fridge!

Split Pea, Vegetable and Bacon Soup - enough for one adult, one toddler and two more adult portions for the freezer.

Ingredients

100g, 3.5oz Dried split peas

50g, 2oz Peeled chopped carrots

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 tsp Olive Oil

50g, 2oz Chopped broccoli stalk

2 cloves of garlic, chopped
150g, 5oz Smoked bacon

Boiling water

Method

Soak the split peas overnight in cold water.  In the morning drain off the water then put the soaked peas in a pan with boiling water to reach around 2cm / 1 inch above the level of the peas.  Cover and boil the peas in boiling water for 10 minutes.  

Switch on a slow cooker.  Saute the onion, carrot and bacon in the olive oil, then add the garlic, cooking until the vegetables are softened.  Add to the slow cooker.  Add in the boiled peas with the boiling water.

My slow cooker needed 2 hours on high then 2.5 hours on low but slow cookers vary (and you're unlikely to overcook it.)

Blend the soup in a blender and allow your child's portion to cool sufficiently before serving.

This could also be made in a saucepan; the benefits of cooking in a slow cooker are that you can walk away and leave it easily but it should be doable in around 40 mins in a saucepan of simmering until everything is cooked.  Add more water if needed.