Split Pea Minestrone Soup

Directions

1. Start by prepping vegetables. Peel onion, garlic cloves, carrots and potatoes. Finely dice onion and garlic cloves, slice carrot and chop potatoes into smaller cubes. Pre-wash split peas.
2. In a pot, add a tablespoon of olive oil and heat to medium. Add onions and gently fry, stirring regularly, until translucent. Add garlic and carrot, stir-fry for a minute. If you're using bacon, add to the pot and fry until crisp. Then, add split peas and potatoes, and cover with vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then cook on low for about 25-30 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
3. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove from stove. With a stick blender, blend the soup roughly, just a couple of pulses, so as still have bits and pieces of vegetables. If the soup is too thick, add some water as needed to reduce it.
4. Serve hot in bowls, add a teaspoon of sour cream to each bowl and top with crispy fried onions.