Pea soup or split pea soup is typically made from dried peas, such as split peas. It is a boundary-less food and has travelled across the globe and is widely consumed. It is often greyish green or yellow in colour depending on the regional variety of peas used. I still re-member the tender taste of pre-mature peas when I came across this soup for the first time in my culinary college. This delicacy was first served to the king of France and was made with pre-matured green peas simmered with stock and flavourings and finished with dollops of butter and cream.
Pea soup is a common dish in Germany and often contains meat depending on regional preferences. Pea soup was one of the very first soups to be made as an instant food and was developed by Knorr as an option to feed the army.
In the United States, “pea soup” without qualification usually means a perfectly smooth puree. “Split pea soup” is slightly a thinner soup with visible peas, pieces of meat and vegetables. Making soup is not a costly affair and requires fewer ingredients than other courses. Go to the market, buy some vegetables and fruits, broth or water and you can easily make a batch large enough to feed the entire family. For a small cost, you can make a whole lot of people feel full and healthy.
Most restaurants have soup in the beginning of their menu and one should often order and relish this healthy meal.
Green Peas Soup
Bread slice 2 nos
Unsalted butter 2 tbsp
For the soup
Green peas 4 cups
Leeks 1 stem
Celery 1 stalk
Unsalted butter 2 tbsp
Vegetable broth 3 cups
Romaine lettuce 1 head
Mint leaves 1/2 cup
Heavy cream 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Crushed black pepper to taste
Garnish
Mint sprig to garnish
Micro herbs to garnish
Unsalted butter 2 tbsp
Method
For the croutons, cut the bread slice into cubes and place them in a bowl.
Drizzle unsalted butter on the bread cubes and toss well to coat them all.
Place the croutons in a shallow baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, until the croutons are golden brown in colour and crispy.
Remove from the oven and keep aside; you can prepare the croutons a day in advance and store them in air tight containers.
For the soup, cut the leek, celery into small dices and shred the lettuce and keep aside.
In a heavy bottom sauce pan, melt butter and sauce leeks and celery over medium heat, until they are soft.
Add the shelled green peas and continue to stir for 2-3 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock and lettuce and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes or until the peas are tender.
Stir in mint and blend the mixture in a food processor or blender and puree the soup in batches.
Strain the soup if you like thin soup, otherwise you can return the unstrained mixture to flame.
Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and reheat it on moderately low heat stirring until it is hot.
Stir in soft butter to thicken and enhance the soup.
In a separate bowl beat the cream until it is thickened slightly but still pourable and season it with salt. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle drops of cream on each serving and draw a skewer through the drops to make a pattern.
Serve hot garnished with croutons.
Note: you can also enrich and enhance this soup by adding spinach puree while boiling the green peas to make it even more nutritious and healthy.
* Chef Tarun Kapoor,
Culinary Mastermind, USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]
