Green Garlic And Pea Soup With Whipped Cream Food

GREEN GARLIC AND PEA SOUP WITH WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Cut dark-green tops from green garlic and slice crosswise 1/2" thick; slice bulbs and pale-green stalks crosswise 1/4" thick.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add bulbs and stalks, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, 8-10 minutes. Add tops and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes.
• Add 4 cups water to saucepan and bring to a boil. Add peas, reduce heat, and simmer gently until peas are bright green and tender, about 5 minutes.
• Let cool slightly, then purée soup in a blender with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, adding water to thin if needed, until smooth. Strain soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing on solids; season with salt and pepper. Reheat briefly (to preserve color) before serving.
• Beat cream with a whisk in a medium bowl to soft peaks; season with salt and pepper. Serve soup with a swirl of whipped cream.
• DO AHEAD: Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

CREAM OF GREEN PEA SOUP WITH FRESH MINT

Steps:

• Saute onion, celery and garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes until vegetables soften.
• Add frozen peas, lettuce and broth. Heat until very hot but not boiling, then add milk, reduce heat and simmer covered 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, transfer the soup mixture into a blender (or use an immersion blender), add the mint and parsley and process until smooth.
• Stir in the salt and white pepper, nutmeg, sour cream and butter. Blend soup mixture well by hand. Heat through and serve with a smile.

GRANDMA'S PEA SOUP

Steps:

• Cover peas with water and soak overnight. Drain, rinse and place in a Dutch oven. , Add ham bone, water and remaining soup ingredients except sausage and dumplings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 2 to 2-1/2 hours. , Remove ham bone and skim fat. Remove meat from bone; dice. Add ham and, if desired, sausage to pan. , For dumplings, place flour in a small bowl. Make a depression in the center of the flour; add egg and water and stir until smooth. , Place a colander with 3/16-in.-diameter holes over simmering soup; transfer dough to the colander and press through with a wooden spoon. Cook, uncovered, 10-15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Freeze Option: Prepare soup without dumplings and freeze in serving-size portions to enjoy for months to come.