Peas are in season and so delicious when they are freshly picked. In a couple of weeks time I will freeze them, but for now, I am loving them straight from the plants. Asparagus spears are also shooting and pair beautifully with fresh peas. If you don’t have any fresh peas you can use frozen ones.
If you haven’t got asparagus in the garden, try and buy some. You can use tinned, but fresh is so much better. If you are not growing either of them you are missing out! Peas and asparagus are both so easy to grow, you should definitely have them in your garden. If you plant asparagus from seed you will wait 3 years before you get a crop. If you want to harvest next Spring buy 3 year old asparagus crowns.
Fresh peas make a light sweet soup that you can easily eat on a Spring evening. This soup is nothing like Dutch pea soup, which is made with dried peas and is thick and warming, ideal for winter.
Fresh Pea, Asparagus and Mint Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- 4 Spring onions, sliced and use tops
- 2 Medium Potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes
- 1 litre Vegetable stock
- 5 stems Asparagus
- 1 cup Fresh peas (or frozen)
- 1 Tbsp Fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Lemon juice leave out if you use sour cream
- 1 Tbsp Sour cream leave out for a vegan soup
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a saucepan
- Add the spring onions and fry gently for 5 minutes without browning
- Add the potatoes, asparagus and stock. cook until potatoes are soft. If the cubes are very small this can be as quick as 10 minutes
- Add the peas and mint and cook for another 3 minutes
- Blend until smooth. Add lemon juice if using and salt and pepper to taste
- Pour into soup bowls and add the sour cream in one dollop
- Serve with bread of your choice