VEGETABLE SPLIT PEA SOUP

One of my favorite soups (among many) is a split pea soup.  I found this recipe a number of years ago in a Bonnie Stern cookbook.  It is not a traditional Quebec style pea soup as it does not require a ham bone and it has more vegetables plus you add some spaghetti towards the end of cooking the soup.  Split peas don't require soaking.  One of the distinguishing ingredients in this recipe is the dill.  I freeze dill during the summer and then use it for soups over the winter months.  This recipe uses carrots, parsnips, potatoes, celery and onions.  If you don't have parsnips or don't like them, just add more carrots.

INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 parsnips, peeled and diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 cup dried split green peas, rinsed
8 to 9 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup broken spaghetti
2 tbsp fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil in a large soup pot and saute onions, garlic and celery on medium heat for 5 minutes.  Do not brown.  Add carrots, parsnips and potatoes and saute for anther 5 minutes.  If the vegetables are sticking, add a bit of water to the pot.

Add peas and stock.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer, covered, for about an hour.  Thin with water if necessary.  Add the spaghetti and dill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the pasta is tender.  Add water if the soup is too thick.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Adapted from Bonnie Stern "Simply Heartsmart Cooking".