SPRING IN A BOWL
This clean, delicately sweet pea soup is loaded with fresh herbs and a generous dollop of crème fraîche. Serve it chilled as the first course to Easter supper or serve it warm for lunch (this would be delicious with a gooey ham and cheese melt on the side!). Either way, the pairing with our Pinot Gris Reserve is spot on.
Don’t hesitate to grab a couple of bags petite peas in the freezer aisle. Boiling them for two minutes will insure that they keep their vibrant color.
Recipe
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons butter
2 leeks, thinly sliced and rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth, preferably homemade
6 cups frozen petite peas
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons heavy cream
kosher salt to taste
crème fraîche or sour cream for garnish
chives for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Add the leeks, lightly salt them, then sautée until they are tender and lightly browned. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Then add the peas and boil for two minutes. Remove from heat.
Add the parsley, mint, and heavy cream. Use an immersion blender (or pour into a regular blender), and purée the soup until it is smooth. Season with salt.
Ladle the soup into individual bowls, then place a quenelle of crème fraîche in the center of each bowl, arrange the chives on top. Note that this soup is excellent served hot or cold.
