Valder's Trinidad Corn Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 chopped onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 lb potato, peeled and quartered
• 2 diced carrots
• 1/3 cup chopped chives
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup fresh thyme
• 3/4 cup split peas
• 8 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
• 1 whole hot pepper
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 4-6 ears of corn cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• Optional: dumplings

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot
2. Add onions and crushed garlic, saute
3. Add potatoes, celery, carrots, thyme, chives & pimento peppers, cook for 5 minutes
4. Add stock and split peas
5. Add whole hot pepper and coconut milk
6. Cover pot and simmer for 1 hour (until split peas are soft)
7. Remove hot pepper and puree soup in blender
8. Add corn  (and optional dumplings) and cook another 20-30 mins
9. Add cilantro, remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste