Pea and Bacon Soup
A small portion of this soup will be enough but it is delicious to begin a dinner party.Sometimes I use fresh ginger to give the soup a kick or some smoked chorizo, or black pudding for deeper flavour.
Ingredients
- 20 g butter
- 1 onion finely diced
- 50 g smoked streaky bacon cut into lardon
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves chopped
- 700 ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 250 g peas fresh or frozen
- 1 hand full baby spinach leaves
- 1 small handful parsley leaves shredded
- 50 ml cream optional
- 50 g crème fraîche or thick yoghurt
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Warm the butter in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat.
- Add the onion, thyme and a pinch of salt, and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the parsley stalks, pour in the stock and simmer for 2-4 minutes.
- Add the peas. Bring to the boil and simmer for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the spinach and remove the heat. Add some cream and seasoning.
- Using a blender, mix until smooth.
- Pass through a sieve and check the seasoning once more.
- Serve with a dollops of crème fraîche and a scattering of parsley leaves and a few extra fresh peas to decorate.