Quick Green Pea Soup Simple Croutons, Italian Parsley, Smoked Ham, Red Radish

Ingredients we need:
Soup:
o 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
o 1 table spoon onion, small diced
o 2 cups / 300 grams green peas, frozen
o 2 cups / 400ml vegetable stock, homemade or store-bought
o 4 medium pieces fresh mint leaves
o pinch coarse kosher salt
o pinch black pepper from the mill
Garnish:
o 4 tablespoons smoked ham, (sliced and then cut into fine strips)
o 2 slices white toast-bread, cut into small cubes
o 1 table spoon red radish, (sliced and then cut into fine strips)
o 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped or sliced
o 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Let’s cook it…

Step 1 - Make the Croutons
o Heat up the frying pan with ½ table spoon butter over medium heat.
o Add in the bread cubes
o Continue cooking and stirring until the bread becomes crunchy and golden brown. Then remove
from stove and set aside.
Step 2 - Prepare the Smoked Ham
o Heat up the frying pan with ½ table spoon butter over medium heat.
o Add in the smoked bacon strips
o Continue cooking and stirring until the smoked ham becomes crisp but not brown. Then remove
from stove and set aside.
Step 3 - Prepare the Green Peas
o Set a pot of water to boil on the stove
o Prepare a large bowl of ice water nearby.
o Remove the peas from the freezer, and drop them into the pot of boiling water.
o Let the peas come to a boil (takes 1-2 minutes), then quickly strain the peas through a kitchen
colander / strainer and transfer peas to the bowl of ice water.
o Leave the peas in the ice water for 1-2 minutes. Drain peas well in a colander and set aside

Step 4 - Cook the Soup
o Heat the oil in a saucepan and melt 1½ table spoon butter over medium heat until foamy.
o Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
o Add green peas, vegetable stock and mint leaves, bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 minutes.
o Remove from stove and transfer the pea soup to a kitchen blender and blend, starting at the
lowest speed and increasing to high, until very smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
o Season with salt and pepper. “Et Voila” our soup is ready to plate…
Step 5 - Plate the Pea Soup
o Pour the pea soup into a deep serving dish bowl.
o Spoon the croutons and smoked ham randomly onto the soup.
o Sprinkle some of the parsley and the red radish strips.
o Sprinkle with some extra virgin olive oil
o Add a few round of fresh black pepper from the mill. Enjoy

Happy “Stay Home” Cooking inspirations by Chef
Anton Egger