Name: Pea soup with mint and crème fraîche
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 1½ tbsp olive oil; 20 gm butter; 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock; 1 kg frozen peas, defrosted; 1 bunch (about 300gm) spinach, trimmed; ½ cup (firmly packed) mint, plus extra (optional) to serve; 150 gm crème fraîche, plus extra to serve; Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

This spring-fresh soup is beautiful served hot or chilled – refrigerate for a couple of hours or, even better, overnight so the flavours develop further.

Ingredients

1½ tbsp olive oil

20 gm butter

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

1 kg frozen peas, defrosted

1 bunch (about 300gm) spinach, trimmed

½ cup (firmly packed) mint, plus extra (optional) to serve

150 gm crème fraîche, plus extra to serve

Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

Method

Main

1.Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion and garlic and sauté until tender (3-4 minutes). Add chicken stock, season to taste, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes for flavours to develop, then add peas and simmer until just tender (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat, take out about ½ cup of peas with a slotted spoon (reserve for garnish), then add spinach, mint, crème fraîche, rind and juice to remaining pea mixture. Blend with a hand-held blender until smooth, check seasoning and serve hot with a spoonful of crème fraîche, reserved peas and extra mint.

Styling by Emma Knowles

Styling by Vanessa Austin