SPRING PEA SOUP

  SPRING PEA SOUP

easy, fast, delicious

This is a GREAT soup for company as well as a good soup to make and have on hand.  It can be served at any temperature and goes with any type of meal. 

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4 (more if served in cups or as a first course)

4 Tbs olive oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced or chopped (mild yellow onion can be substituted)

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock, just nothing with a strong flavor)

1 lb fresh or frozen peas, blanched or defrosted (but not cooked!)

Mint leave for garnish (optional)

Heavy cream or unflavored yogurt (optional)

In sauté pan or 2 quart sauce pan over medium heat, warm 2 Tbs oil. Before the oil gets too hot, add shallots and cook, stirring 3-5 minutes until translucent.  Add garlic, cook for 1 minute stirring so nothing burns or sticks.  (if your shallots or garlic burn, throw them out and start again as they will affect the flavor and color of your soup.)

Add stock and bring to a boil. Add peas.  When soup returns to a boil, turn the heat off.  Fresh peas may require about 3-4 minutes of cooking.  Frozen peas are already cooked, so only need to be heated through. 

In small amounts, add soup to a blender or food processor and puree. (it should take 1-2 minutes per batch.  Reserve pureed peas in another bowl or saucepan.  Be careful not to add to much liquid at a time as it will whirl out of the blender/food processor and could burn you!

After all of the soup is pureed, reheat but do not boil if you want to serve the soup warm.  Otherwise let cool to room temperature or refrigerate if served cold. Check for texture.  If soup is too thick add a little water, milk or cream.  If too thin, puree a few more peas (don’t bother cooking unless they are fresh) and add in.   Texture should be thick enough to cling to a spoon, but not so thick your spoon stands up in it.

Garnish with a dollop of heavy cream or unflavored yogurt and add mint leaves on top.   You can add croutons, or serve with a lovely crusty bread and fruit for a wonderful light lunch or supper.

Note:  If you want a really smooth puree, strain the soup through cheesecloth and a sieve into a serving dish.  This will reduce the amount of your soup by about ½, but you will have a soup that has no trace of shell or skin from the peas.  (Personally, it’s too much work for me, and I’ve never had a complaint from guests!)