Spring Pea Soup

When I was wandering around the produce section of the market, looking for dinner inspiration, I wasn't really expecting to make soup. Not that I'm opposed to it almost year round but my mind was looking for spring food inspiration. And there they were - spring peas. And fresh chives and even pea tendrils. And I started to think about a light, simple but flavorful soup.

If you've been tortured in the past by smelly, over-cooked, over-processed school cafeteria pea soup I promise this will erase that painful memory. It's light, flavorful and perfect for spring. It's also really good cold! Pack it in a thermos along with a sandwich and head off on a picnic in the park.

The pea tendrils are one of my newest addictions. They're just the early stems of the pea plant but the taste is lovely, slightly herbaceous and very crisp. Apart from adding them to my soup for some texture I've also been piling them into salads and on sandwiches. I'll miss these little shoots when they're gone. But they're here now as are the spring peas and I'm taking full advantage for my daily lunch. Enjoy!

by Hungry Couple

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

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Ingredients (4 Servings)

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Onion, peeled and diced
• 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
• 16 oz. Peas, fresh or frozen is fine but not canned
• 3 Cans (approx. 15 oz. each) chicken stock
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 Teaspoon pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• Sour cream to garish
• Pea tendrils to garnish, if desired

Instructions

Pea Tendrils

Add the olive oil and onion to a large pot and saute until translucent. Add the flour and stir to coat the onions. Whisk in the chicken stock. Add the peas and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Season with salt, garlic powder and plenty of black pepper. Peas love pepper.

Puree the soup with either a stick blender or in a traditional blender. If using a standard blender, work in small batches. You can leave the soup slightly chunky or puree until smooth.

When ready to serve, swirl a tablespoon of sour cream or double cream into each bowl. Don't skip this step because it makes a big difference in taste. Garnish with pea tendrils if desired.

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