ENGLISH PEA SOUP

English Pea Soup image

Provided by Michael Boodro

Categories project, soups and stews, appetizer

Time 45m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

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Ingredients

Salt to taste
1 pound fresh peas, shelled
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 slices bacon
4 slices bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tangerines
4 teaspoons creme fraiche
4 sprigs fresh mint leaves, destemmed

Steps:

Boil 1 quart well-salted water in a large pot. Add peas; cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. (Go by taste rather than time.) Strain peas, saving blanching water, and place them in a bowl of ice water. Puree peas in batches with a little blanching water and pass through a fine sieve or food mill into a large saucepan. Blend, thin with a little hot water if necessary and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook bacon slices on a sheet pan until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove to paper towels. Keep oven on.
Place bread cubes on the same pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to pick up bacon drippings. Bake until crispy, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside.
With a knife, peel and segment tangerines over a bowl to catch the juices. Set aside.
To serve: Reheat soup over medium heat. Lightly crumble bacon into 4 soup bowls. Add croutons, tangerine segments and a little juice. Add a dollop of creme fraiche and a mint sprig. Ladle in the soup and drizzle with remaining olive oil.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 372, UnsaturatedFat 12 grams, Carbohydrate 38 grams, Fat 19 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 14 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 538 milligrams, Sugar 14 grams, TransFat 0 grams