Chilled English Pea Soup With Extra Virgin Olive Oil Food

CHILLED PEA SOUP WITH SPICY CRAB

Steps:

• Make the soup: Blend the peas and vegetable broth in a blender until very smooth. With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil in a steady stream to emulsify the mixture. Add half of the lemon juice, then chill the soup in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Season with salt and the remaining lemon juice before serving.
• Prepare the crab: Whisk the olive oil, sambal oelek and lemon juice together in a bowl. Fold in the crabmeat and mint and season with a pinch of salt. Fill small cups or glasses about three-quarters of the way with the chilled pea soup. Garnish each portion with 1 generous tablespoon of the spicy crab and serve immediately.

COLD PEA SOUP WITH HERBED OIL SWIRL

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 6-8 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 2 cups water, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Add peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 2 minutes.
• Remove pot from heat and stir in yogurt. Purée soup in a blender or in the pot using an immersion blender, thinning with water if soup is too thick, until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a resealable container, cover, and chill at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Divide soup among bowls and top each with a swirl of Herbed Olive Oil.
• Do Ahead
• The soup can be made and chilled for up to 2 days.

CHILLED SPRING PEA SOUP WITH CRAB SALAD, CREME FRAICHE, AND MINT

Steps:

• For the soup: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add enough salt to make it taste like the ocean. Add the shallots, garlic, coriander seeds, freshly cracked black pepper, to taste, and sliced chiles, and bring back to a boil. Taste the water and season with salt, if needed. Add the English peas, bring the soup back to a boil and allow it to cook until the peas are al dente, about 30 to 45 seconds.
• Using a strainer or spider, add the pea mixture to a blender with 2 ladlefuls of flavored liquid, the creme fraiche and the mint leaves. Puree until smooth. Pour through a wired mesh strainer into a bowl over an ice bath to cool very quickly. Continue to stir until chilled.
• Taste for seasoning.
• For the crab salad: To a large bowl, add the crabmeat, mint leaves, salt and pepper, to taste, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, sliced scallions, lime zest, lime juice, and the chiles. Lightly toss with a fork. Do not overwork. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
• Ladle the soup into serving bowl. Top each bowl with a large spoonful of the salad. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and garnish with julienned snow peas.
• Pack the chiles into 2 (1-quart) jars and cover them with water to come within 1/2-inch of the rim. Pour the water out into a measuring cup. Note the volume, pour off half the water, and replace it with sherry vinegar. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons salt for every 3 cups liquid.
• Pour the vinegar mixture into a nonreactive saucepan and add the bay leaves, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, marjoram, and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Pour the hot liquid into the jars to cover the peppers, and screw on the lids. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.
• Yield: about 2 quarts

CHILLED PEA, LETTUCE AND HERB SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the peas, lettuce and stock or water, and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer five minutes. Remove from the heat. Drain through a strainer set over a bowl, and allow the vegetables and the broth to cool for 15 minutes. Taste the broth, and season as desired.
• Working in batches, purée the vegetables and herbs in a blender with the broth and additional olive oil for two minutes until frothy and smooth. Pour into a bowl, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Chill for several hours.
• Serve, garnishing with additional chives, tarragon and/or mint.

CHILLED ENGLISH PEA SOUP WITH EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• FOR PEAS: Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan.
• Salt the water, then add the peas and bring the water back to a boil.
• Cook over moderate heat until very tender, about 20 minutes.
• Drain the peas, reserving the cooking liquid.
• Set aside 1/4 cup of peas.
• FOR SOUP: In a food processor, combine the remaining peas with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and puree until smooth.
• Work the puree through a fine sieve into a large bowl.
• Discard the contents of the sieve.
• Stir in about 4 cups of the cooking liquid and season with salt and pepper; add more cooking liquid if necessary to make a nice, creamy soup.
• Refrigerate the soup until cold, at least 2 hours.
• FOR CROUTONS: In a large skillet, melt the butter in the vegetable oil.
• Add the diced bread and brown the cubes on all sides over moderately high heat, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Drain the croutons on paper towels.
• TO SERVE: Ladle the cold soup into bowls and garnish each with a few of the croutons and reserved peas.
• Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with pepper and serve.
• MAKE AHEAD: The soup can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated for up to 1 day.
• The croutons can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

ENGLISH PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Boil 1 quart well-salted water in a large pot. Add peas; cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. (Go by taste rather than time.) Strain peas, saving blanching water, and place them in a bowl of ice water. Puree peas in batches with a little blanching water and pass through a fine sieve or food mill into a large saucepan. Blend, thin with a little hot water if necessary and season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook bacon slices on a sheet pan until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove to paper towels. Keep oven on.
• Place bread cubes on the same pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to pick up bacon drippings. Bake until crispy, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside.
• With a knife, peel and segment tangerines over a bowl to catch the juices. Set aside.
• To serve: Reheat soup over medium heat. Lightly crumble bacon into 4 soup bowls. Add croutons, tangerine segments and a little juice. Add a dollop of creme fraiche and a mint sprig. Ladle in the soup and drizzle with remaining olive oil.