Serves 10

Ingredients

Olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 medium white spring onions, chopped fine
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 cups fresh spring peas, shelled
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
¹⁄₃ cup dry white wine
4 cups fresh spring pea stock (recipe follows)
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
Black pepper
Heavy cream
Chive Croutons (recipe follows)
Pea tendrils & flowers for garnish

Directions

Heat a soup pan with a little olive oil (covering the bottom of the pan) to a medium high heat and add garlic and spring onions. Add the lemon zest and continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes or until onions and garlic are translucent. Add the peas, parsley, sugar, lemon juice, white wine and pea stock and bring to a boil. Cook for exactly two minutes and then take out fresh peas and plunge into an ice bath (it is okay for other ingredients to get caught up in this process). Strain the pea mixture and set aside. Allow the stock to cool to room temperature. Combine the stock, the pea mixture and the fresh mint leaves and blend in batches until the entire batch is blended and smooth. Warm the soup just before serving to a lukewarm temperature. Serve with a few dollops of heavy cream and Chive Croutons with some pea tendrils and flowers as garnish.

Spring Pea Stock

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
Olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin, green and white parts
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves and stems
2-3 cups pods from fresh peas
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Melt butter in a soup pot with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. On a medium high heat sauté the garlic, lemon zest and green onions for a few minutes or until onions are semi-translucent. Add the parsley and mint and sauté a few more minutes. Add the pea pods and water and stir. Bring to a boil and add salt and pepper. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Strain and reserve liquid.

Chive Blossom Croutons

Makes 2 cups of croutons

Ingredients

2 cups cubed white bread (1½ inch cubes)
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chive blossom flowers
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped fine
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well, making sure that the bread cubes are totally covered with butter. Place the croutons on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, turning as needed and until slightly browned on all sides. Allow to cool.