Chilled Spring Pea Soup With Crab Salad Creme Fraiche And Mint Recipes

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.

FRESH PEA SOUP WITH MINT AND CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• In a soup pot melt butter and add onion, celery, leek, salt, and pepper. Cook vegetables for 5 minutes until translucent. Add curry powder and cook 2 minutes. In cheesecloth, combine bay leaf and thyme and tie to form an herb sachet. Add sachet of herbs to vegetables. Have stock simmering in saucepan. Add hot stock to vegetables, boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add peas and simmer for additional 10 minutes.
• Remove sachet of herbs and discard. With immersion blender, puree soup (or puree with care in batches in a conventional standing blender). Return soup and pot to heat, add creme fraiche, being careful not to allow soup to boil, reheat. Add mint and serve.

CHILLED PEA SOUP WITH FRESH MINT

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook the leek in the butter over moderate heat for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the broth, peas and seasonings and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes, or until the peas are very tender. In a food processor, blend the mixture in batches until combined well. Let it cool. Chill the soup, covered, for at least 2 hours. Before serving, stir in cream and fresh mint. Garnish with mint sprigs. Correct the seasoning.

PEA SOUP WITH CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Cook shallots in oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add potato and salt and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add water and simmer, covered, until potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Add peas and simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes.
• Purée in batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), then force through a very fine sieve into a saucepan. Reheat soup and season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle servings with crème fraîche.