Spring Pea Soup by Gordon Ramsay

Chilled Spring Pea Soup
by Gordon Ramsay
from A Chef for All Seasons
(Ten Speed Press, 2000)
Serves 4 as a first course

This is a light, creamy soup that has everything going for it — a tempting color, velvety smooth texture, and a wonderful fresh flavor. Pea and bacon are a popular combination. I like to use Ventrech bacon from Alsace, but another lightly smoked, dry-core bacon would be fine.


convert		Ingredients
4 ounces		lightly smoked sliced bacon
2		shallots, sliced
2 tablespoons		olive oil
1 pound		fresh peas in pods, shelled
2 tablespoons		dry white wine
4 cups		Vegetable Nage or light chicken stock
1/2 cup		heavy cream, plus a little extra for serving
		Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Method

1. Reserve 4 slices of bacon and chop the rest. Place the chopped bacon in a saucepan with the shallots and oil. Heat until sizzling, then sweat over a low heat for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the peas and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook until it has evaporated.

3. Stir in the nage or stock and 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 15 minutes. Blend in a food processor or blender until smooth, then pass through a fine sieve into a bowl, rubbing with the back of a ladle. Leave to cool and then refrigerate.

4. Meanwhile, broil the reserved bacon slices until crisp. (In the restaurant we bake the slices between two heavy baking sheets to keep them straight and flat, but you may prefer the crinkly look.) Drain well on a paper towel so they aren't greasy. Keep warm.

5 When the soup is well chilled, check the seasoning and whisk in the cream. Season again. Serve in bowls with a little extra cream trickled on top and a floating bacon slice.

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