Keep your cool come dinnertime with a fresh pea and mint soup from chef Steven LaCount. The easy, peas-y offering comes together with a little stove time and a spin in the blender, and the final bowl has all the fresh flavor (and green hues) of the garden. LaCount tops his with seasoned pea tendrils and a touch of tartness from a lemon crème fraiche, then serves it cold to chill out your summer table.
Green Pea + Mint Soup
Details
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 1 small white onion, diced fine
- 1 large Idaho potato, chopped
- 2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 quart green peas, freshly shucked
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, tightly packed
- salt & pepper, as needed
- light cream, as needed
- 1/3 cup crème fraiche
- 2 lemons
- 1 cup green peas, cooked and cooled
- 1 bunch pea tendrils
- olive oil, as needed
- salt & pepper, as needed
Directions
- In a saucepot, melt the butter and add the onions—cook until translucent. Add the potatoes and cook for 4 or 5 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until potatoes are soft.
- Add the quart of green peas and cook for about 4-5 minutes until peas are soft. Immediately remove from heat to cool a bit.
- Add the soup to a blender with the mint leaves and blend until smooth. Strain and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the soup in a pan over another pan of ice to cool rapidly. Place back into a bowl and whisk in the cream until the desired consistency is reached. Season to taste.
- Micro-plane the zest from the lemons into the crème fraiche and whisk to blend. Add a pinch of salt. (This is best done the day before and kept chilled.)
- Drizzle the green peas and pea tendrils with olive oil land season with salt & pepper.
- Serve the soup chilled and topped with a dollop of lemon crème fraiche, seasoned fresh peas and pea tendrils.