Would you believe split pea soup in thirty minutes? Warming, filling and tasty, this soup is sure to become a favorite. Serve with crusty bread and a salad.

directions

1. Pick over peas to remove small pebbles, debris and clumps of dirt.
2. In a 6- or 8-quart pressure cooker, heat oil. Sauté onions until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cover kombu with water and soak for 5 minutes. Then, cut it into 1/2-inch squares. Set aside.
4. Add garlic and thyme to onions. Sauté an additional minute. 
5. Add kombu, bay leaf, barley, carrots and boiling water to the pressure cooker. 
6. Rinse peas through a strainer. Add to the pot.
7. Lock the lid in place. Over high heat, bring up to full pressure.
8. Place a flame tamer under the pot. Reduce heat, maintaining high pressure. Cook for 15 minutes.
9. Quick-release pressure by placing the closed pot under cold running water.
10. After all pressure has been released, remove the lid. If peas are soft and dissolved, add salt. If not, replace the lid and simmer until peas are done. Then add salt.
11. Lock lid in place. Let stand for 5 minutes to cook in the salt.
12. Quick-release. Add puréed miso and serve hot.
    

variations

Substitute Job's tears for pearled barley.
To reduce cooking time, do not sauté onions, garlic and thyme. Simply add them to pressure cooker in step #5.

cook's tips

Rinse legumes such as split peas and lentils just before cooking. This prevents them from sticking to the strainer.

back