Recipe: Chilled English Pea and Mint Soup

Credit: John Sherlock

Chilled pea soup in tall glass tumblers is perfect as an appetizer or amuse-bouche

Here’s a classic British chilled soup that’s perfect for a garden lunch or supper on a summer’s eve.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup/60 ml unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 4 cups/1 L vegetable stock
• 3 cups/720 ml fresh, shelled English peas or thawed frozen peas
• 1/4 cup/60 ml whipping cream
• 3/4 cup/180 ml spinach, washed and trimmed
• 4 sprigs fresh mint, leaves only
• 1 bunch pea tops or mint leaves, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat, sauté butter, onions and garlic until onions are softened and garlic is lightly golden – about 5 minutes.
2. Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add peas and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and add cream, spinach and mint.
5. Season lightly with salt.
6. Fill a large bowl with ice.
7. Allow soup to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and purée until smooth.
8. Strain soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
9. Set bowl of soup over ice to chill quickly.
10. Divide chilled soup among small chilled glasses or cups.
11. Garnish with pea tops or mint leaves and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as an appetizer or 12 as an amuse-bouche.

Did you like the soup? Did you garnish with pea tops, or mint? Tell us all about it below.

Recipe and photographs from Araxi: Seasonal Recipes From the Celebrated Whistler Restaurant by James Walt, (c) 2009.
Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Douglas & McIntyre: a division of D&M Publishers.
Photography by John Sherlock.