The American Favorites section is where we have placed recipes for dishes that have become American favorites; these recipes are for foods that are enjoyed by many people throughout this great country of ours. In this particular section, I won't assign a specific part of the country as being the origin of the recipe.
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2 c dry green split peas 1 bay leaf
2 quarts chicken stock, fresh or 1 c coarsely chopped fresh mint
canned 1 tsp salt
1 c coarsely chopped onion Pinch of white pepper
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped ½ to 1 c chilled heavy cream
1/8 tsp ground cloves Sprigs of fresh mint
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Wash the split peas thoroughly under cold running water and continue to
wash until the draining water runs clear. Pick over the peas and discard
any discolored ones. In a heavy 4- to 5-quart saucepan or soup kettle,
bring the chicken stock to a boil and drop in the peas slowly so that the
stock does not stop boiling. Add the onions, celery, cloves, bay leaf and
mint. Reduce the heat and simmer with the pan partially covered for 1½
hours or until the peas can be easily mashed with a spoon. Remove the bay
leaf.Purée the soup through a food mill or fine sieve into a large bowl, and then rub it through the sieve back into the saucepan or into another bowl. Add the salt and pepper, and chill the soup in the refrigerator. (If you wish to serve the soup immediately, place the soup in a bowl and set the bowl in a larger container filled with crushed ice or ice cubes. With a metal spoon, stir the soup until it is ice cold.) Before serving, stir in ½ to 1 cup of chilled heavy cream, thinning the soup as desired, and taste for seasoning. Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint. Serves 6 to 8.
