Pea and Mint Soup

Pea and Mint Soup

 This may sound like I’ve gone madder than usual but there is one soup that I would give up everything for and that’s this Pea and Mint soup. I’m not saying I’d leave The Viking and run away to a beach hut in The Maldives with this ridiculously luscious bowl of heaven but if he doesn’t start massaging my feet after a long day then we might have a pea and mint mutiny.

The thing is, not only is it easy to make, it’s also one of those soups that’s just as good ice cold on a hot summers day as it is wonderfully warm on an autumn evening. What really does elevate it to ‘eloping to The Maldives with vegetable broth’ levels are these light as air fluffy ricotta dumplings. They are heavenly and make planning our escape all the more real.

For the soup:

• Oil and butter
• 4 shallots – roughly chopped
• 4 sticks of celery – chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic – finely diced with some fresh rosemary and thyme
• 1 small courgette – chopped
• 4 new potatoes – chopped
• 750g frozen peas
• 1ltr good quality vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper
• A few fresh mint leaves – chopped

For the ricotta dumplings:

• 100g self-raising flour
• 75g butter
• 75g ricotta
• A few mint leaves – finely chopped
• Salt and pepper

 To make the soup, place a large pan (with a lid) on a low to medium heat, add a splash of oil and a little nob of butter and then throw in the onions and celery.  Allow them to sauté gently for about 5 mins then stir in the garlic and herbs, followed by the courgette and potatoes.  Allow them to sauté for another 5 mins then turn the heat down to its lowest, place the lid on and allow the vegetables to sweat together for another 6 minutes.

Remove the lid and pour in the peas, stock and fresh mint.  Turn the heat to medium and bring the pot to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes.  Then turn off the heat and allow it to stand with the lid on whilst you make the dumplings.

Place the flour and butter into a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until you have a rough sand-like texture.  Add the ricotta, mint and salt and pepper and mix together.  It should come together into a large ball.  Divide the ball into mini dumplings (you should get roughly 12)

Once the dumplings are made, remove the lid from the soup and blend with a hand blender until wonderfully smooth. Turn the heat on to its lowest and add the dumplings over the top.  Place the lid on and let them gently steam in the warmth of the soup for 15 minutes.

Serve with a sprinkling of fresh mint and pea-shoots.

For more soup recipes, check these out on Dom in the Kitchen.

Eat and of course, enjoy!