CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

SERVES 6 PREPARATION TIME: 20 MINUTES COOKING TIME: 25 MINUTES

85g (⅓ cup) dried yellow split peas 1 tbsp vegetable stock powder 1 whole barbecued chicken 2 stalks celery 2 large leeks 80ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil 4 cloves garlic ½ bunch mint 1 lemon 100g vermicelli pasta

METHOD

1. Rinse split peas well under running water. Place in a large saucepan. Add 2L water and stock powder, bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cook for 20 minutes, skimming froth from the top, or until peas are almost tender.

2. Meanwhile, strip meat with skin from the chicken and discard bones. Remove skin from meat, finely chop and reserve. Shred meat into chunky strips.

3. Roughly chop celery and white part of leeks. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, leeks and chicken skin, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until soft. Crush 3 cloves garlic into the pan and stir for a further minute or until fragrant. Add vegetable mixture to split peas, even if the split peas aren’t cooked.

4. Roughly chop mint and place in a bowl. Zest lemon over mixture and crush in remaining garlic clove. Squeeze over ½ lemon, add remaining 2 tbsp oil and stir to form a gremolata.

5. Break pasta strands in half, add to split pea mixture and cook for 3 minutes or until al dente. Divide half the chicken among bowls. Spoon over most of the soup, then top with remaining chicken, a little more soup and a spoonful of the mint gremolata.