Theme: Soup
Recipe: Potage St Germain
Cookbook: The Australian Women’s Weekly Essential Soup Cookbook
As I mentioned earlier, part of the reason I accepted my mother’s strict finger-waggling decree to not cancel my Brisbane trip was that I planned to come back and spend Sunday cooking for her, my father, and my grandmother, in order to make their lives easier amidst the hospital tumultuousness.
Never one to renege on a promise, I woke up bright and early on Sunday morning (after arriving back in Canberra on Saturday), ate some delicious breakfast, patted my hairdresser-straightened hair goodbye whilst showering, sighed over the return of the curls, hopped in the car, stopped at Woolies, and then proceeded to let myself into my parents’ house and take over their kitchen.
I’m a good daughter like that.
I’d actually forgotten how meditative long, slow, methodical hours of cooking can be, and how creating several varieties of soup all at once can make you believe that an emerald-green diadem of domestic princessdom is hovering above your head.
The imaginary diadem was, of course, emerald-green in honour of the glorious shining colour of this vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and splendiferously healthy Potage St Germain. I delivered the soup to my Fairy Grandmother along with a fresh bunch of mint, so that there would always (well, until it ran out) be a nourishing, warming, delicious, restorative, and fragrant meal awaiting her in her kitchen.
I love this soup. I used to make it frequently when I was a teenager, but haven’t done so in years. I promise you that I shan’t be making that mistake again for, despite the humble ingredient list, this pea soup is nothing but delectable. (Unless you hate peas.)
Just in case you don’t believe me, here are my grandmother’s words regarding the soup, as emailed to me last night:
Soup, glorious soup! Comfort food of the highest degree: it was delicious and I have enjoyed it two nights in a row with enough for three more meals.
What more can I say?
Potage St Germain
From The Australian Women’s Weekly Essential Soup Cookbook
Find other entries in The Cookbook Challenge’s Soup theme here
I’m also entering this in Ricki’s August 11-15 Wellness Weekend, because I can.
- 2 cups green split peas (400g)
- 1 litre water
- 1 tb olive oil
- 1 large brown onion (200g), chopped coarsely
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 trimmed sticks celery (150g), chopped coarsely
- 1.25 litres chicken stock, or vegetable stock for the vegan version
- 500g frozen peas
- Soak split peas in the water in a large bowl for 3 hours or overnight.
- Heat oil in large saucepan; cook onion and garlic, stirring, until onion is soft. Stir in celery; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
- Add undrained peas and stock, bring to a boil; simmer, uncovered, about 1 hour or until peas are tender (skimming the surface and stirring occasionally). Stir in frozen peas; cook, stirring, about 10 minutes of until peas are tender.
- Blend or process soup, in batched, until pureed (I just used a stick blender directly in the pot). The recipe also says to push the soup through a large sieve, but you know what? Bollocks to that. I don’t mind a bit of texture in my soup. Can be made ahead to this stage; cover and refrigerate overnight or freeze.
- Just before serving, stir over heat until hot. If you like, serve with mint or another garnish of your choosing.
{ 74 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks DELICIOUS. And, perhaps even more importantly, SO GOSH DARN PRETTY!
Are you looking in the mirror again?
Being half cantonese, I love soups!
Can I say “being all anglo, I love soup too”?
Ah, beautiful. Meditatively beautiful. And I agree with the sieve thing. I find I can always skip the sieve step, and putting soup through a sieve seems counter intuitive to me!
Gosh, thank you Kari! I was so happy with the top photo[s], considering the normal not-great quality of my shots!
looks lovely – green enough to brighten any day! and a very good colour as green is the colour of hope! I always use yellow split peas in my pea soup but I now want green split peas and frozen peas so I can have green pea soup
looks lovely – green enough to brighten any day! and a very good colour as green is the colour of hope! I always use yellow split peas in my pea soup but I now want green split peas and frozen peas so I can have green pea soup with a fancy french name
I have a billion green split peas now if you want to borrow some, Johanna! There was a sale at Woolies
Also, gotta love the fancy French names!
I completely agree about cooking being meditative. Often I bake when I’m stressed out. Your soup looks incredible! Love the color.
Baking > stress every time
I was so happy with the colour!
This soup looks absolutely awesome and I love peas! I like your photography and that tiny little bubble in the soup is screaming “I’m gonna pop”!!
Hahaha! Oh, thank you for putting a positive spin on the bubble! I didn’t see it when taking the photos and have been annoyed ever since!
Yummy! I have some split peas in my cupboard and have been saving them for a lovely smoked ham hock… but might use them trying out your recipe instead. Thanks for sharing… this is perfect winter food!
Ah, see, my grandmother and mother are allergic to ham, so that was out for us! It’s a bit amazing but this soup truly does taste delicious without it.
For one of my first almost-sort-of-but-I’m-too-shy-to-admit-anything dates with my boyfriend (the first where I felt nervous and shy, anyway), he made us a delightful pea soup and amazing grilled sandwiches. I had been outside on a dripping wet, cold field trip all day long and it was such the perfect ending to a crummy chilly day in the woods. People across the world appreciate the gesture of a good pea soup!
I mention this because I know some of us here profess our interest in finding a man. I’m just sayin’ – it’s not too late to go into the soup business! It worked on me;)
Aw, what a lovely story! You’ve got yourself a keeper there, m’lady!
Hmm… so you’re saying I should start standing outside my apartment with a big vat of soup in my arms?
Nothing wrong with a bit of soupmongering! And yeah, I’m real sure a big vat would attract ‘em in like nobody’s business:)
I bow down to your superior man-catching knowledge.
Split pea is THE best soup, in my opinion. What a good granddaughter you are to send them the best! It is very pretty too. I love that photo of the single tiny bubble wriggling his way to the surface.
Thank you Alayna! And thank you for making me feel better about that sneaky little bubble creeping into my photos
How divine! I mean the soup and you for making this for her
And I have to say that your curls are pretty amazingly adorable. I know you look hot with straightened hair but the curls are very fetching too!
Thank you, Lorraine
For every smile-creating part of your comment! I don’t mind the boinging curls, really, but do wish I had a hairdresser on hand to blowdry them straight just a few days a week 
Haha don’t we all!
And a masseur please if they are taking requests?
I would sell my VitaMix for a personal masseur!
(Maybe.)
Oh this looks luscious! But are you being naughty? I spy chicken stock in this vegan recipe…
Oh, fiddlesticks, thank you!! Amending with substitution now
i love soups and green food.
i would totally make this but with veggie broth! i love cooking for family and seeing them enjoy my food 
Just putting in the veggie stock option now
You are good. Not only is soup cheering in general, but who could gaze into that calming greenness and not feel a little relaxed?
I, uh, had to google diadem. How did I not know this word? It sounds like the sort of thing I’d like to talk about lots.
Laura, I think you should change your name by deed poll to have Diadem as your middle name
Sparkly and happy-making, that’s you for sure!
I love the color of split pea soup, but the taste and texture are usually not my friends.
Also, I had carob today in a meal-replacement protein bar thing and it was deeeelicious. I totally thought of you as I was eating it.
Teehee! That makes my day! I truly don’t think you can taste the split peas here, but you’d probably have to like normal peas too
This l
Note to self: fingers too fat to post from iPhone. This looks real pretty, is what I was trying to say. And while I appreciate the healthfulness of it, I couldnt help but fistpump at Emma’s toasted sandwich pairing. I’d even go as far as toasted ham and gruyere on sourdough alongside this.
Oooh, Lexi, that idea sounds like gloriousness personified! Except I’d just go double melty cheese instead of the ham. And maybe blue cheese. Would that be weird?
Woop woop! Mine had pear slices on it too! Woop woop!
Pear and blue cheese, the most glorious of fruit and cheese combinations.
Oh that looks great. Unfortunately my other half is one of those pea haters. Maybe I will just wait till he is away and then will pea it up!
My brother hated this soup so much that he would refuse to sit down to dinner with us when I made it as a teenager
Wow what a brilliant green!!! I just want a bit of bacon on top…hee hee hee.
You really are such a great daughter, Hannah.
Teehee, if I didn’t hate bacon, I’d say that was a good idea!
Maybe goat’s cheese though?
And thank you! xo
That green colour is just so refreshing. I’ve never made or eaten split pea soup. Something to try before Winter is over!
Or when winter is over! Judging by last summer, we’ll be getting some rainy soup-appropriate days this year too
You are a good girl! Soup looks delicious and perfect example of comfort food. I’m totally with you on the domestic princess front – a few hours in the kitchen can sometimes have you feeling on top of the world.
Thanks Keely
I wish I had time for domestic princessdom tonight; I’m in need of some calm! 
LOVE the photo of your soup! I can’t seem to get any good photo’s inside our current house.. it’s soooo dark and begs for a skylight or two.. (but we rent). So I take my piccie’s outside on a green-slatted outdoor table mostly. So your brown planks/slats.. (whatever!) made me wonder if you had your soup on a brown, outdoor table? I love soups with pulses.
Thank you Maria!! I, too, struggle with taking photos in my apartment, as there’s nowhere with good light and no outside area (except the parking lot three floors down) for me to go. This photo, you see, was taken at my parents’ place…. on their brown, outdoor table. Bravo, Sherlock, bravo!
P.S. Dear me, I initially read your last sentence as “I love soup which pulses”. Heavens!
The mint is brilliant – I’ve always used parsley as a soup garnish but this really adds a zing. And – tonight I stirred in some soy milk which was delish too, so I might try that again with my next bowl. It is a very sustaining meal and a great standby just now.
Grandma, you’re a genius! Some soy milk to make it creamier is a fantastic idea. Now I can see where Diana got it all from
xoxo
P.S. I’m going to have to make myself a large batch now just so I can try that.
I have to admit, I’m not a fan of most split pea soups. But this one looks especially delicious. I love how smooth and creamy it is, too. I despise chunky soup.
I’m so glad this soup looks pretty enough to sneak past your anti-split pea shields! Lucky me
You surely are the best. Beautiful presentation sweet girl, chef would be proud.
Thank you darling! Now you go and do something gorgeous and sparkly and wonderful for yourself RIGHT THIS MINUTE. xo
What a wonderful soup! I love the little bubble and the addition of mint!
Thanks Kath! That lil bubble has more fans than I ever would have expected
Sooo… not only have I never made split pea soup, but I’m pretty sure I’ve never even tasted it. But I like peas so I feel like I would probably like it!
Yes, if you like peas, I’m sure you’d like this! Peas and yumminess are the dominant flavours
I love split pea soup (or potage)! And yes, you certainly do sound like a very good daughter.
Thanks for submitting this to Wellness Weekend–sorry about the link glitch! All better now, so please do link up. 
Thanks for letting me know, Ricki! Shall go link it now
I do love soup. It’s well known. I love green soups. Especially brilliant green ones like this. It’s perhaps the most cheering colour. Possibly even more than pumpkiny orange! Split peas aren’t my favourite ingredient I must say. Although call something Potage St Germain, and memories of Paris start flooding the senses and I go all funny. And this does freshen them up with fresh peas which are altogether more pleasing and take away the dishwater colour of split peas. I was toying with what soup to make today. If I can swing by the supermarket before I go to the circus this afternoon then I could fit this in. And I learnt a new word! Diadem. Fabulous word.
Love this comment, Louise! The fresh peas are definitely what give the soup its gorgeous colour; it’s always a bit like magic when you start blending and the colour shift from murky to vivid! Let me know if you try this… and you could always serve it with crispy bacon on top for those men in your life
P.S. I want to go back to Paris.
Your soup and your post inspired me several ways:
http://astrongbeliefinwicker.blogspot.com/2011/09/wondrous-words-wednesday-14911.html
http://adventuresinalowgiworld.blogspot.com/2011/09/potage-st-germain-well-nearly.html
I want to go back to Paris too.
Take me with you, take me with you! And then we can endlessly inspire each other with correlative Paris posts
God I wish i was eating that right now instead of the pale (kinda streaky) green zucchini soup I’ve got going on over here. I’ll just keep looking at this picture while eat.
Hahaha! Oh, this comment makes me laugh/happy
Hiss hiss hiss! What is this on your blog? It needs to be banished, banished I say!
*hides behind hands* I swear, BFF, I only did it because you were away and I thought you wouldn’t catch me! I swear!
YUM. After I convert all the measurements (ha!), I will make this for my hubby. Looks delicious. Hmm… now where does one find split peas in the grocery store?
Teehee! let me have a go off the top of my head… 400g of split peas would be one pound minus two ounces, our tablespoons are 20ml so 1 tb + 1 tsp for you, the onion is about half a pound, the celery is 5.5 ounces, and I have NO idea how to convert litres
Also, if you follow my lead, you find split peas in the grocery store by asking someone who works there
Ah! Missed this. It looks SO good. And green. SO very very green.
Heidi xo
It’s all grand! And it’s all green! I think we’ve finally found the place where we belong!
P.S. Just a head’s up for Sunday, I’m prone to breaking out into Broadway songs in person as well as on my blog
I had to google that to find out what it was. Wicked? Musical fail there on my part! For shame. My Wicked loving friend, Vicki, would be very ashamed of me xo
You got there in the end, and that’s all that matters
Oh, so hard to resist bombarding you with other quotes from musicals now! 
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