North African Split Pea Soup

4 cups dry green split peas, rinsed
12 bay leaves
2 large yellow onions
3 green peppers
1 tsp. ground cardamom
8 cloves garlic salt and pepper

Bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Add split peas and cook over medium heat until tender. Add bay leaves and stir to distribute well. In large skillet, sauté chopped onions and green peppers with 4 cloves of crushed garlic over medium-high heat, until the edges begin to brown. Add to soup pot. Cook until texture is pleasing. (I prefer my split peas to maintain some texture and the vegetables to do the same. Others prefer the peas cooked down completely and the vegetables thoroughly cooked into the soup. As my wife says, “Cook it the way your mouth wants it.” Add cardamom, 4 more crushed garlic cloves, stir and turn off heat. Allow to stand for a few minutes, then add salt and pepper to taste. Variations: I have been very conservative with the spices. Add more bay leaves, garlic and cardamom as you like. Also, more vegetables make for a more varied texture.

Serves 8-10