Alfred Portales Spring Pea Soup Food

ALFRED PORTALE'S SPRING-PEA SOUP

Steps:

• To make the custard, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Rinse morels well under cold water. In a medium saucepan, bring morels, cream and truffle oil to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the mixture thickens, about 12 minutes.
• Purée the mixture in a blender. Whisk the purée into the yolks and stir in salt and white pepper.
• Place four lightly buttered two-ounce ramekins in a large baking dish. Pour the morel mixture into the ramekins. Add enough hot water to the baking dish to come 1/2 inch up the sides of the ramekins. Cover with foil and bake until the custards are set, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from the water bath, run a paring knife around the edges of the ramekins and turn each custard upside down into the center of a soup bowl. If not serving immediately, cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• In a stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion and celery, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a boil and add peas. When boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 12 minutes, or until the peas are very tender. Remove from heat and season with salt and white pepper.
• Drain the peas, reserving the stock. Purée the vegetables in a blender, adding stock slowly. Place a large bowl in an ice bath, add the soup and stir. Season with salt, white pepper and sugar, and either serve at once or refrigerate.
• To serve, have the soup at room temperature or slightly warm. Spoon enough soup around each custard to come up 3/4 of the height of the custard. Drizzle each serving with white truffle oil and garnish with a chervil sprig.

FRESH PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the leeks and onion, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the onion is tender. Add the chicken stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the peas are tender. (Frozen peas will take only 3 minutes.) Off the heat, add the mint, salt, and pepper.
• *Puree the soup in batches: place 1 cup of soup in a blender, place the lid on top, and puree on low speed. With the blender still running, open the venthole in the lid and slowly add more soup until the blender is three-quarters full. Pour the soup into a large bowl and repeat until all the soup is pureed. Whisk in the creme fraiche and chives and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with garlic croutons.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S FRESH PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the leeks and onion, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the onion is tender.
• Add the chicken stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil.
• Add the peas and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the peas are tender. (Frozen peas will take only 3 minutes.)
• Off the heat, add the salt, and pepper.
• *Puree the soup in batches: place 1 cup of soup in a blender, place the lid on top, and puree on low speed.
• With the blender still running, open the venthole in the lid and slowly add more soup until the blender is three-quarters full.
• Pour the soup into a large bowl and repeat until all the soup is pureed.
• Whisk in the creme fraiche and chives and taste for seasoning.
• Serve hot with garlic croutons.

SPRING PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan or stock pot on medium heat. Add leeks and onion and cook for 5 minutes, until tender. Add peas and stir to coat with leek mixture. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add mint and season with salt and pepper.
• Purée soup in blender, food processor or immersion blender. Return to heat. Stir in evaporated milk. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• TIPS: To clean leeks, chop and place in a large bowl of cold water. The dirt will sink to the bottom of the bowl. lift out leeks and rinse in a strainer.
• It will take about 4 lb. of peas in the pod to yield 6 cups of shelled peas.

RICE AND SPRING PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil and butter in a 4- to 5-quart pot over medium heat until the butter is foaming. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring, until light golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the peas and celery, season the vegetables lightly with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peas are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat to simmering and cook until the peas and other vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the rice and cook until tender, 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally. (For a firmer texture, cook the rice a few minutes less.)
• Remove the soup from the heat and check the seasonings, remembering the cheese will add a little saltiness. Stir in the grated cheese and serve immediately.

SPRING PEA SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute potatoes in butter until lightly browned. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes. Add peas; cook until peas are tender, 5-8 minutes. Cool slightly., In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return all to the pan; heat through. Sprinkle with chives and, if desired, microgreens.