This soup is easy peasey! This is not your heavy-winter split pea soup. Chilled English Pea soup is brightly flavored and delicious, refreshing and perfect for any spring dinner. Serve the soup with blanched sugar snap peas and toasted pistachios for a meat meal or with parmesan cheese crisps and cream for a dairy preparation.
Chilled Pea Soup
Servings
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium leek (white part only) chopped
- 2 shallots minced
- 1 rib of celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic (in the spring I look for green garlic which is very light in flavor and very juicy)
- 1 medium russet potato peeled and diced
- 8 cups vegetable stock
- 1 ½ pounds English peas shelled from 3 pounds unshelled peas
- Pinch of sugar
- ½ cup fresh mint chiffonade (cut into thin ribbons)
- Suggested garnishes: chopped toasted pistachios sugar snap peas, fava beans, fresh mint, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese crisps (dairy preparation), fresh cream (dairy preparation)
Instructions
- Place a medium saucepan, lightly coated with olive oil, over medium heat. Sweat the leek, shallots, celery and garlic until the vegetables are soft, but not caramelized (about 10 minutes).
- Add the potato and vegetable stock and simmer over medium heat until the potato is cooked through and falling apart (about 30 minutes). Remove from heat to cool.
- In a separate pan, bring several cups of water to the boil and cook the peas until tender (about 7-10 minutes), do not overcook or they will be dark and mushy textured.
- Drain the peas and add them and the remaining ingredients to the vegetable mixture. Puree in batches and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Chill completely. The soup can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Serve the soup with suggested garnishes.
Leave a Reply