Okay - I'll recite it - more or less - from memory.
Exact amounts are not crucial - I just have a 'feel' for cooking.
I rarely use - or write down - recipes. I just start making something.
So consider the following remarks as a loose guideline...
CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER
Soak the yellow split peas (a cup, cup and a half, maybe two)
in a covered mixing bowl overnight with enough water to cover them.
Next day, drain off the used water and discard.
Put the yellow split peas in a pretty BIG pot - they expand when boiled.
Put enough water in the pot with a lid so that the water level is
about an inch over the peas.
Boil over medium heat for about 50 to 65 minutes - stirring occasionally.
Keep a close eye on them to make sure there is enough water.
If not enough, add a bit of water.
When the peas are pretty soft, remove from heat and let them
cool for a while. Drain off some of the excess water, if any.
Leave enough in there to almost cover the peas. If they are not
somewhat 'mush-like' already, mash them
(along with the water that's in there) with a potato
masher or a blender.
While you were cooking the peas, you were cooking some chicken.
Baked or boiled - I prefer baked.
You could use boneless, skinless breasts - or whole breasts -
whatever. The point is you need 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups
boneless, skinless, cooked chicken. When the chicken is cool
enough to handle - dice it (if baked), and if boiled you could
shred it with a fork. Your choice.
Now in your REALLY big pot (the final soup kettle)
get a little bit (1/4 or 3/8 inch deep?) of olive oil heating up over medium heat.
But before you start heating the oil in the soup kettle,
you are going to have already diced your onions - 1 large red onion
OR 2 medium yellow onions.
Dice up 4 stalks of celery. Chop up a fistful of fresh parsley
(may substitute Cilantro).
Dice a sweet red bell pepper.
NOW start heating the olive oil in the soup kettle.
Crush a few cloves of fresh garlic through a garlic press into the oil.
Add the diced celery. Reduce heat slightly - don't wanna burn the stuff.
After 3 minutes or so, put in the diced red bell pepper - stir -
(frequently all throughout this process.)
After 2 or 3 more minutes dump about a cup of chicken stock
into the pot - watch the sizzle-splatter don't get burned -
over the mixture.
Add the chopped parsley/cilantro.
Now carefully pour in the yellow split pea mush.
Stir well.
Add the chicken. Stir well.
Add about 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn.
Stir well.
Simmer covered on low heat for about 45 minutes -
stirring every 10 minutes or so.
When stirring, be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot
to prevent burning or sticking.
Serve.
You can crumble up some plain tortilla chips over the
serving bowl(s). (It adds a certain something, ya know.)
One option is to dice some carrots (1 cup?) and cook and
drain them before adding to the soup.
There are many variations to this recipe.
Invent and try as many as you can. Experiment.
Eat well!
Another good option is to add maybe half a cup of diced tomatoes also.
Oh my goodness, that sounds fantastic. My mouth is watering. Thank you SO much.