This vibrant soup, from my mother's recipe book, uses a packet of frozen peas - something nearly all of us will have in the freezer - and very little else. I have adapted the printed recipe slightly to make it more of a winter soup and recommend adding crispy bacon, shredded ham or croûtons to add texture and substance. This soup has the advantage of being quick and easy to make with minimal ingredients. Perfect for that impromptu lunch.
Serves 4
500g frozen peas
1 small onion, finely chopped
25g unsalted butter
750ml vegetable or chicken stock
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
To serve -
Chopped chives and lemon are recommended but I just sprinkled in some freshly chopped mint, a few peas and a dollop of sour cream. Alternatively, you could use crème fraîche or swirl in some double cream.
This recipe says to use lamb stock which can be hard to get - vegetable or chicken stock will do. I've also substituted fresh mint and doubled the quantity of peas which thicken the soup and mean you don't need the cornflour.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the chopped onion. Cook on a low heat with the lid on for about 10 minutes or until the onion is soft. Then tip in your bag of frozen peas, keeping a few in reserve for decoration. Give everything a good stir and then add the stock and chopped mint. Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the peas are cooked through, and take the pan off the heat.
Allow to cool briefly and then blitz until smooth - I used a stick blender in the saucepan but you could also use a food processor.
Check for seasoning and add salt and black pepper if needed. I also added a couple of teaspoons of my mint jelly to give an extra 'hint of mint'.
Serve the soup in warmed bowls sprinkled with your choice of topping and a hunk of fresh bread.
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