Thick Split Pea Soup with Roasted Carrots and Sunflower Seeds

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the carrots

   Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Cut the carrots into pieces about 1.5 cm in size and toss with 10 ml of rapeseed oil and 1 g of salt. Spread them on a baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes, turning halfway through; the edges should be browned and the centers still tender.

   
2. 2

   Make the soup base

   Rinse the split peas in a sieve. Finely chop the onion and celeriac, and mince the garlic. Heat the remaining 10 ml of oil in a pot and sauté the onion for 6 minutes, until softened and beginning to turn golden. Add the celeriac and garlic and stir for 1 minute, then stir in the smoked paprika and immediately add the split peas, water, and bay leaf.

   
3. 3

   Cook the split peas and potatoes

   Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook partially covered for 25 minutes. Peel the potatoes, cut them into cubes about 1.5 cm in size, and add them along with 3 g of salt. Cook for another 20–25 minutes, until the split peas are tender and the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.

   
4. 4

   Thicken and season

   Remove the bay leaf. Briefly blend about one-third of the soup directly in the pot with an immersion blender so it thickens while remaining chunky. Stir in the roasted carrots, the marjoram rubbed between your fingers, and the lemon juice. Taste, add the remaining 1 g of salt, and simmer gently for 2 minutes.

   
5. 5

   Toast the seeds and serve

   Toast the sunflower seeds in a small dry pan for 3–4 minutes, shaking the pan often; when they become fragrant and start to turn golden in places, remove from the heat. Chop the parsley. Divide the soup among four bowls and sprinkle with the seeds and parsley. Serve hot.