Split Pea Soup sans Ham Hock

Split pea soup is predictable. Onions, carrots and some sort of ham product usually dominate. While I still want to buy a ham hock one day as a right of passage, the traditional spin on the age-old favorite didn’t appeal to me last week. However, I was determined to use up the split peas hogging my precious cabinet space despite the muggy heat.

Heidi Swanson has a great twist on the usual comfort food in her new cookbook Super Natural Every Day. She calls it “Split Pea Soup with Brown Butter, Coconut & Chives” but I simplified it a bit to avoid venturing out to the grocery store for chives and to cut down on the butter a bit. It was fanstastic.
Combine 2 tablespoons butter, 1 chopped onion, 3 crushed garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes in a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook until onions are soft. Add 5 ½ cups of broth and 1½ cups split peas. Cover and simmer until lentils are tender (30-50 minutes...keep checking). When the lentils are done, remove from heat and add ½ cup of coconut milk or a bit more depending on your preference and 1 tablespoon curry powder. Puree.