This beautifully creamy, pale-green soup, delectable and piquant, is made using pantry and vegetable-basket staples, Joan Bishop writes.
It is divinely delicious and certainly good enough for company. Wonderfully warming, it is perfect when you want something comforting but not bland. It soothes and satisfies but it's sprightly in a warm spicy way.
It's quick to make, and all that's needed is a brief chop of the onion, the leek and the apple, followed by 20 minutes or so of gentle bubbling with some stock and spice, then puree all together with a stick mixer. Swirl in the sour cream and, voila, it's made, almost effortlessly.
Freshly picked and podded peas straight from the garden are a rarity and a special pleasure. Because these are seasonal and fleeting, I have no prejudices about using frozen peas. I keep a bag in the freezer at all times.
Green pea, leek and apple soup
Makes 8 cups
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, halved
lengthways and finely
sliced into thin half moons
¾ tsp mild curry powder
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp mild chilli powder
1 leek, finely sliced (270g prepared leek)
6 cups of chicken stock, hot
10g mint leaves (small handful)
500g green peas, thawed if frozen
1 large tart eating apple, 220g, peeled, cored and diced
¼ cup sour cream
garnish: chopped mint
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and when hot add the onion and saute over gentle heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add the curry powder, cumin and chilli and cook for 2 minutes longer.
Add the leeks and saute for a minute or two, add chicken stock and mint and bring to the boil. Simmer, lid on, for 10-12 minutes.
Add the thawed green peas and the diced apple and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the apple and peas are tender and the soup is hot.
Check seasoning, adding salt if necessary. Puree until smooth using a stick mixer or blender.
Stir in the sour cream and ladle into warmed soup bowls.
Garnish with chopped mint.
