PEA SOUP WITH BUTTER DUMPLINGS (FROM THE VEGETARIAN EPICURE)

PEA SOUP WITH BUTTER DUMPLINGS (FROM THE VEGETARIAN EPICURE) image

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 14

Soup:
4 cups shelled peas (about 4 lbs fresh unshelled)
4.5 cups water
1 tsp brown sugar
salt and pepper
1/2 c light Rhine wine
4.5 Tbs butter
4.5 Tbs flour
Dumplings:
6 Tbs butter
2 eggs
1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt

Steps:

Soup: Cook the peas in the water and sugar until they are quite soft, about 1/2 hour. Then press the soup through a sieve or put it in the blender for a few moments. Season this thin puree with salt and pepper and stir in the wine. Melt the butter in the skillet and stir in the flour. Le the roux cook over a very low flame for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Then stir in a cup or two of the soup and whisk until smooth. Return the thickened soup to the rest and blend well. Dumplings: To make the batter, soften the butter as much as possible, short of melting it. Beat the eggs with the flour and beat in the butter. Season with salt and nutmeg. Drop the batter into gently boiling soup by half-teaspoons. When the dumplings have risen to the top, they need 5 more minutes before they are done.