Palouse Brand Green Split Peas

Grown, harvested, and packaged in the USA, Palouse Brand Split Peas are without a doubt the most flavorful split peas I have ever tasted. The Mader family has been farming for five generations in Pullman, Washington, which is located in the southeast part of the state.  About 15 miles north of Pullman is a town called Palouse where the raw harvested peas are taken to be cleaned and packaged in a family owned plant.  

Not many companies can claim they use sustainable farming practices – direct seeding and no-tilling – to reduce soil erosion and increase soil health as Palouse Brand can. And, there are probably even fewer companies that can tell you where and when your food was harvested as in what field your peas were grown in and what date they were harvested.  The harvesting date has always been important to me because the fresher the food is, the better it tastes to me. Most people know that fresh apples taste better than those kept in a cold storage for weeks but many don’t know that fresh grains and beans also taste better closer to their harvest date than further away.

Palouse Brand Split Peas are grown from non-GMO seeds and can be best described as earthy and full of flavor. I use the peas to make a Vegetarian Split Pea Soup. Normally, Split Pea Soup requires a ham bone or ham but then the soup wouldn’t be vegetarian so  I sought to enhance the flavor of the peas with other vegetables, bay leaves, thyme, and a bit more salt than normally called for.  The recipe is simple and the thick hearty soup tastes delicious with homemade croutons or a torn off piece of a baguette.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 large onion, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
3 bay leaves
1 pound of green split peas
7 cups of water
1-1/2 cups of chopped carrots
1 cup of chopped celery
1 pound of small yukon gold or creamy white potatoes, cooked and chopped into quarters

• Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the salt.
• Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes.
• Add 7 cups of water, the split peas, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Add the carrots and celery, cover, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaves and discard.
• Add the chop potato pieces and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Add salt and pepper to taste. Note:  there is no ham in this recipe which would bring out the pea flavor so salt and pepper generously.
• Serve with homemade croutons sprinkled over the top.

Palouse Brand Split Peas can be ordered directly from the company via their website listed below (with free shipping by using “SHIPFREE” as the promotion code when ordering ) or from www.amazon.com. The peas can be purchased in 3 pound, 5 pound bags, and in larger quantities. I order the 5-pound bag in which the peas are stored in a plastic bag inside of a burlap bag which keeps the inside of the bag dark and thus preserves the vivid natural color of the green peas. The 5-pound bag is $14.95 and they’re made in the USA!

Palouse Brand
4932 SR 27
Pullman, WA 99163
www.palousebrand.com