SERVES 4
PREPARATION 10 MINS
COOKING 15 MINS
1tbsp olive oil
2 rashers bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 leek, sliced
1 litre, chicken or vegetable stock
500g (1lb) fresh peas
2tbsp fresh mint, chopped
1. Heat the oil over a moderate heat in a large saucepan. Add the bacon, onion, celery and leek and cook, stirring, for 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft, but not coloured.
2. Add the stock and the peas to the saucepan. Bring to the boil. Reduce the
heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
3. Purée the soup in batches in a blender or with a hand-held liquidiser until smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot or cold, garnished with mint and croutons topped with melted cheese.
TIP
To make a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use vegetable stock. For convenience, try using frozen peas rather than fresh.
AND TO DRINK
A dry, fruity semillon such as Denman Estate Reserve Semillon 2002 (Tesco, £7.99) is a good partner to pea and mint.