Sep 14

Sep 14 Pea and Courgette Soup

Everyday, Not So Guilty Pleasures, Small Plates and Sides, Suppers, Vegetarian & Plant Based

This recipe makes a fresh vibrant dinner soup. Both peas and courgettes are at their best and in season at the moment and together they produce a real hit of flavour.

Lighter than a mid-winter pea soup might be, this suits the early autumn when the days are sometimes still be a bit warmer but the evenings are growing darker and cooler.

This is very easy to make and is lovely as a weekday meal when you want a meat free family option. It also makes a delicious starter for dinner guests too.

Method

Makes enough for 4 dinner bowls or 8 as a small starter.

You will need a large, heavy based saucepan and blender.

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes.

Place the peas in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them so that they defrost. Leave them to stand in the water.

Gently heat the oil in saucepan and add the onions. Cook for 2 minutes on a low heat so that they soften but don’t brown. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the courgette to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes until it has begun to soften. Make the stock while the courgettes cook. Add the stock to the pan and bring it up to the boil.

Drain the peas and add to the soup. Turn off the heat. This preserves the colour of the peas and they will cook in the residual heat of the soup as you blend it.

Remove any tough stalks from the herbs and add them to the pan as well.

Carefully, blend the soup until it is smooth. You may need to do this in two or more batches so that you don’t overfill the blender.

Wipe out the pan and return the blended soup to it. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring the soup back up to temperature.

Serve with a spoon of Greek or soya yoghurt and a drizzle of olive oil.

Note

This soup is at its most vibrant in both colour and taste when it is freshly made. If you can, try and enjoy it on the same day you make it.

If you do want to make it ahead, you keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It will also freeze and keep for to 2 - 3 months.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil plus extra for drizzling

1/2 large red onion chopped

1 garlic clove chopped