Split pea soup is is one of the great comfort foods. The nutritional value of split peas is excellent. This beautiful legume contains high amounts of protein and fiber, as well as several vitamins and minerals. High fiber foods like split peas help lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. I try to cook split pea soup once every 1-2 weeks for its wonderful health benefits, and because it is extremely inexpensive and easy to prepare. I prepare split pea soup in two different ways. The first recipe is here; the other will follow in the next week or two.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
5 small leeks (or 2 medium or 1 large), chopped
3 shallots, diced When times are tight the leeks and the shallots can be replaced with one diced onion, with a small sacrifice in flavor.
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. green split peas
10 c. chicken broth, or part broth and part water
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
salt to taste
lemon wedges
Method:
In a large pot, saute leeks, shallots, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until tender.
Add split peas. Toss with vegetables and oil until all peas are coated.
Add chicken broth, bay leaf, and thyme.
Cover pot; bring pot to a boil over high heat. As soon as pot boils, reduce heat to very low, then simmer, covered for 1 1/2 hours until peas are mostly dissolved, stirring occasionally. If the broth reduces too much, add water. If you would like to encourage the soup to reduce more, remove the lid while simmering.
Taste for salt; add salt if necessary. If you are using store bought broth, you may find that it is not necessary to add more salt.
Remove the bay leaf. Bay leaves are sharp, and can cut the digestive tract if swallowed. When cooking with bay leaves, always note the number of bay leaves as you put them into the pot and be sure to remove all of them before serving.
Serve with lemon wedges, or squeeze lemon juice into the soup before serving.
When my family and I want to get out, our usual activity is to go for a walk around our neighborhood in Brooklyn. Sometimes when we want something a little more out of the ordinary we take the subway to a different neighborhood, or somewhere like the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and do our walking there. Last weekend we packed some sandwiches and spent a few hours sitting in front of a fountain picnicking and people watching. Most of the time, though, we just make a fun event of our errands by walking to the drugstore 8 blocks away, or when we have more time (and energy!) to the Middle Eastern grocery store 24 blocks away. By the way, Middle Eastern grocery stores or other “ethnic” grocery stores that cater largely to the local immigrant community of whatever origin are one of the best places to find great deals on beautiful whole foods, gigantic jars of spices that cost less than the small jars at the supermarket, and of course all sorts of interesting delicacies.
Some of my favorite things to pick up at the Middle Eastern grocery store are persian cucumbers, mango juice, medjool dates, and foul medames. Persian Cucumbers are narrower than supermarket cucumbers and generally just a little longer than the palm of my hand, with a smoother, thinner skin.
Persian Cucumbers. Photo by Flickr user Clayirving
Foul medames is a bean dish that is commonly eaten in Egypt. You can buy the beans in the can. Sometimes the cans contain whole beans in that mystery liquid that other canned beans are suspended in, and sometimes they contain whole beans suspended in a spiced bean puree. Either way, what we like to do with them is saute an onion and garlic, dump in a can or two of foul medames, heat, mash with a potato masher, then stir in some parsley and maybe some diced tomatos, salt and pepper and serve with pita bread. In Egypt and in our house this is usually a breakfast food, though it is also common in Egypt for the poor to eat it for dinner.
Well, this weekend we were walking to the drug store, expecting nothing more exciting than a new toothbrush and some Ziplock bags, when all of a sudden we started seeing people walking down the street eating grilled corn. We walked a couple of blocks further and bumped into a big street fair. I love it when this happens. So far it is the second time this year that we have unexpectedly happened upon a street fair, and it is one of my favorite things about living here. You truly never know what you’ll find around the corner.
We bought some cubed watermelon from a man with a superior watermelon preparation technique. He had a huge meat cleaver with which he chopped the melon in half. Then he took one of the ends, laid it pink side down, and peeled the melon by cutting down the sides with the cleaver, finishing by cutting the remaining rind from the top. All that was left to do was to cube the melon which took just a few cuts with the huge cleaver. I want to try this so badly, but I don’t have a cleaver. I was astonished that I could find no video or photos of this technique online to share with you, though I did find this equally fascinating video of a Japanese chef using another unusual watermelon preparation technique.
There was a live band playing, and as we stood there eating our melon we heard such numbers as “The Right Stuff,” “Vanilla Ice,” and that “Stop! Hammer time!” song. No joke! Every time a new song started I couldn’t help but crack up. These songs were popular when I was in fifth grade, and it took me way back to the days of New Kids on the Block sleeping bags and the cool boy on the school bus who could sing that “Vanilla Ice” song really well.
We found the grilled corn and enjoyed that too, and topped it all off with some kebabs. Of course there were a lot of non-food vendors as well, and one of them was selling these extraordinary bags. I have always adored Indian textiles but somehow have never owned any until yesterday. I’ve never before owned a purse that I wanted to leave hanging on the wall as a work of art. I’m in love.
Indian Textiles - Purple Bag
Indian Textiles - green bag
Indian Textiles - Purses or Wall Hangings?
I am so thankful that a wonderful twist of fate transformed a simple trip to the drugstore into such a memorable day.
The Casbah sock yarn sweater is beginning to take shape. I’ve knit the torso; now she just needs some arms and buttons, and a little weaving-in of the yarn ends.
Casbah Sock Yarn Toddler Cardigan Sweater
I wish I could capture the color of this yarn more accurately. The colors are deep and rich fall or Thanksgiving colors; for some reason when I photograph them they tend to appear almost pastel. O Handmaiden, I’m sorry I can’t do your yarn justice!
