Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the shallots, season and sweat over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until they begin to soften but not colour. Add the peas and pour in the stock; it should just cover the peas. Simmer for a few minutes until the peas are tender. Drop in the mint and immediately take off the heat.
Using a slotted spoon, take out a spoonful of peas for the garnish. In batches if necessary, blend the soup using a hand-held stick blender (or a regular blender) until smooth. Adjust the seasoning generously, as the flavours will be muted when cold. Pour into a bowl set over another bowl half-filled with ice to cool quickly, stirring occasionally. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving, topped with the reserved peas and a grinding of pepper.
White onion and cheddar soup
SERVES 4
20g butter
900g white onions, peeled and sliced
sea salt and black pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely crushed
2 bay leaves
few thyme sprigs, leaves stripped
300ml chicken stock (see page 243)
200ml whole milk
75ml double cream
100g strong cheddar, such as Montgomery, grated
In the spring, we use new season’s onions to lend a wonderful sweetness to this lovely, creamy onion soup. A strong piquant cheese, such as Montgomery cheddar with its slight edge, contrasts the sweetness perfectly.
Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the onions and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, over a medium heat for about 7–10 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent but not browned. Add the garlic, bay and thyme leaves, and cook for another 3–4 minutes.
Pour in the stock, bring to a gentle simmer, cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until the onions are very soft. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Purée the soup, using a hand-held stick blender (or a regular blender) until smooth. For a very smooth texture if preferred, pass the puréed soup through a fine sieve.
Return the soup to the pan. Add the milk and cream and slowly return to a gentle simmer. Stir in the grated cheese and season well to taste. Serve in warm bowls, with some warm buttery scones or crusty bread on the side.
Roasted tomato and marrow soup
SERVES 4
1kg vine-ripened tomatoes, about 12
1 marrow, about 1kg olive oil, to drizzle
few thyme sprigs, leaves stripped
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tsp caster sugar
sea salt and black pepper
small bunch of basil, leaves only, roughly chopped
300ml hot chicken or vegetable stock (see page 243)
1–2 tsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
Marrow is popular with gardeners but much less so with cooks, probably because its watery texture is something of a challenge. Roasting the vegetable concentrates the flavour and makes it a natural partner for roasted tomatoes in this summery soup. Serve it simply with a drizzle of good olive oil, or crumble some goat’s cheese on top and scatter over a handful of crunchy garlicky croûtons.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Halve the tomatoes and arrange, cut side up, on a baking tray. Peel, halve and deseed the marrow, then cut into 1.5cm cubes and spread out on another baking tray. Drizzle both generously with olive oil, then scatter over the thyme leaves, garlic, sugar and some salt and pepper. Toss the marrow cubes to ensure that they are well coated. Roast the tomatoes and marrows for 30–40 minutes, until they are soft and slightly caramelized, giving the marrows a stir halfway through.
As soon as they are cooked, purée the vegetables in a blender with the basil leaves and hot stock; do this in two batches if necessary and make sure you tip in all the flavourful juices. For a very smooth texture if preferred, pass the puréed soup through a fine sieve.
Transfer the soup to a pan and reheat gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a little balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve in warm bowls drizzled with a little olive oil.
London particular
SERVES 4-6
1 smoked ham hock, about 1kg, soaked in plenty of cold water overnight
1 large onion, peeled and halved
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 3 pieces
1 celery stick, trimmed and cut into 3 pieces
1 tsp white peppercorns
1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, few thyme or parsley sprigs, tied together)
11/2-2 litres water
300g dried split green peas, soaked overnight sea salt and black pepper
CROÛTONS
1 day-old thin French stick
4 tbsp olive oil
30g butter
TO GARNISH
flat-leaf parsley leaves
During the industrial revolution, London was often blanketed in a thick heavy fog—referred to as a ‘pea souper’ and this is how this soup acquired its name. It is typically made with boiled unsmoked gammon, but we prefer to use a smoked ham hock to give the soup an intense and smoky base flavour. The croûtons add a contrasting crunch, but you can omit them if you prefer.
Drain the ham hock, rinse under cold running water and place in a large pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, peppercorns and bouquet garni, then pour in the water to cover. Bring to a simmer and skim off the scum and froth that rises to the surface. Simmer gently, topping up with boiling water as necessary, for 21/2-3 hours until the ham is tender and comes away from the bone easily.
Lift out the ham and let cool slightly. Strain the stock and return to the pan. Drain the split peas, add to the pan and simmer for 11/2-2 hours until soft. In the meantime, shred the ham and discard the bone.
Purée the soup using a hand-held stick blender (or a regular blender) until smooth. Return to the pan to reheat. If the soup is too thick, add a little boiling water to dilute; or, if it is not thick enough, simmer until reduced to the required consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Return the ham pieces to the soup and reheat just before serving.
To make the croûtons, cut the French stick into small bite-sized pieces. Heat the olive oil and butter in a small frying pan. When hot, add the bread pieces and toss in the foaming butter and oil for 3 minutes or so, until golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on kitchen paper.
Divide the hot soup among warm bowls and scatter a few croûtons and parsley leaves on top. Hand the rest of the croûtons round separately.
Fennel and roasted red pepper soup