Spring pea soup

Name: Spring pea soup
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 6-8
Ingredients: 1 litre quality chicken stock; 500g sugar snap peas; 80g butter; Extra virgin olive oil; 2 tsp fennel seeds; 1 fresh bay leaf; 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 small brown onion, finely diced; 2 leeks, finely sliced; 2 large waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced very finely; Salt flakes; Freshly ground black pepper; 200g fresh peas (podded weight); ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, picked and chopped; 400g English spinach leaves; 2 handfuls sorrel (optional); Sour cream, to serve; Fresh horseradish (or jarred, unsweetened), to serve

Karen Martini

September 16, 2013

Spring pea soup: Potato and stock lend a surprising richness.Marcel Aucar

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:6-8

This bright spring soup is full of fresh flavours but has an underlying richness and a super-silky texture from the sauteed potato and chicken stock. This soup says spring in a warmer tone, recognising it's not quite beach weather yet.

Ingredients

1 litre quality chicken stock
500g sugar snap peas
80g butter
Extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 fresh bay leaf
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small brown onion, finely diced
2 leeks, finely sliced
2 large waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced very finely
Salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
200g fresh peas (podded weight)
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, picked and chopped
400g English spinach leaves
2 handfuls sorrel (optional)
Sour cream, to serve
Fresh horseradish (or jarred, unsweetened), to serve

Method

Step 1
Bring the stock to the boil with a litre of water. Add the sugar snap peas (whole) and cook for four minutes. Once cooked, remove the peas and puree them with enough liquid to loosen. Strain through a coarse sieve (to remove fibres) and put back into the stock.
Step 2
In a large pot, melt the butter with a splash of oil. Add the fennel seeds, bay leaf, garlic, onion and leeks and cook for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Add the potatoes, season and cook for a further 15 minutes or until the potato slices are cooked and breaking up.
Step 3
Add the stock mix and bring to a simmer. Add the fresh peas and cook for five minutes. Add the parsley, spinach and sorrel (if using) and cook for four to five minutes.
Step 4
Blitz till smooth with a stick blender. Check and adjust the seasoning and serve with sour cream and freshly grated horseradish.