Peas Soup - How to Cook Perfect Series

Blogging Marathon # 38 Week 2 Day : 1

Theme : How to Cook the perfect Series : How to cook Perfect Peas Soup

Course : Appetizer 

Peas soup has been eaten since antiquity, this soup is known as English Peas soup, in France it is know as Potage Saint - Germain, a name that comes from suburb of Paris where peas used to be cultivated.

Peas soup is healthy and easy to cook, mouth watering. There are so many variations of Peas soup, but the classic one is combination of Peas, shallot and bacon. I was planning to post this recipe since I strated blogging but some how could not post. First time I watched this recipe on Asian Variety show broadcast on and Sony when I was Nigeria, Peas and Mint Soup sounded so scrumptious that I cooked so many times, but could not post.

After two months break from Srivalli's Blogging Marathon, this is my first event that am participating and very thrilled to read Peas soup as a part of - How to Cook Perfect series that runs in Guardian newspaper, where Felicity Cloake cooks a selection of tried and trusted popular recipes in search of perfect recipes. 

Recipe source: Peas Soup

Preparation time : 10 mins to 30 mins

Cooking time : 10 mins

Serves : 2 

Difficulty level : Easy

Ingredients :

1 tbsp butter
11/2 cup shelled fresh peas / Frozen peas
2 small spring onion / 1/2 cup chopped
350 - 375 ml Vegetable Stock - recipe here
pinch of sugar
salt to taste
squeeze of lemon

For Garnish :

fresh mint leaves roughly chopped
fresh cream

Other things required :

Non-stick pot
Grinder

Method:

• Wash the spring leaves under running water to get rid of any soil or sand.
  
• Chop spring onions finely.
  
• Heat butter in a pan, add chopped onion and cook until it sweets or softens.
  
• Add peas, saute for a minute. Add vegetable stock. Bring it to boil, then simmer till peas are tender shall take about 10 -13 min for fresh peas and 5 - 8 mins for frozen peas.

• Cool for a while and blend the peas using blender or hand blender till smooth. Add lemon juice and season to taste. Add sugar if peas are not sweet.
  
• Add more stock if the soup is thick and re heat soup on low flame for a min or so.
• Serve the soup garnished with mint leaves and cream.

Notes:

• While sauteing the onions take care not to caramelize. As caramelized onion shall result in change of soup colour.
• If using fresh peas the cooking time may vary.
• Can also use Vegetable stock cube if the fresh stock is not available.
• If you want to use bacon as mentioned in the original recipe : use 1 rasher of smoky streaky bacon finely chopped and saute with onions.
• Can also plain water if using bacon or can substitute with any stock of your choice like chicken stock.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#38

Hope you have enjoyed reading this post. Please take a minute to share your views and valuable comments. Regards,

Briju Parthasarathy