Pea Soup

I was trying to decide what to have for supper when I ran across a Chef at Home video online. The video showed Michael Smith making pea soup. I was sold. I stepped out to the grocery store to get some carrots, chicken stock and frozen bake-at-home bread and the rest is history... delicious history. I used a mixed soup blend of split peas, whole peas, barley and mixed beans instead of just split peas but otherwise I followed the video to a T.

Pea Soup
Courtesy of Michael Smith (Chef at Home)

Ingredients
8 slices bacon, diced
1-1/2 cups diced onion
3/4 cup diced carrot
3/4 cup diced celery
2 cups mixed peas, beans and barley (or just split peas)
8 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
salt & pepper

Directions

1. Cook bacon until crispy on medium heat. Drain off most of the fat, keeping 1-2 Tbsp.
   
2. Add onion, carrot and celery. Stir and cook on medium until veg starts to soften.
3. Add pea mixture, stock, rosemary, time and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 1-2 hours.

Note
I had to simmer it for the full 2 hours because of the whole peas. If using only split peas, I don't think it would take so long. Lentils would be even faster... hmmm... lentils...