Courtesy of Chef Rod Butters at RauDZ Regional Table, from The Okanagan Table: The Art of Everyday Home Cooking
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- ½ cup sliced leeks
- 6 button mushrooms, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 4 sprigs mint
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup whipping (35%) cream
- 3 cups peas, thawed if frozen
- 1 cup spinach leaves
- Sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter until it starts to bubble. Add the onions, celery, leeks, mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. (Reduce heat if the vegetables start to colour.)
2. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, mint, stock and cream and mix well. Gently bring soup to a near boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
3. Remove the soup from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh strainer into another pot or container. Discard the vegetables.
4. Put 1 cup of peas and a third of the spinach into a blender, pour in a third of the hot liquid, and blend on low heat. Gradually switch to a high speed and blend until very smooth. (Stop and allow some of the steam to escape while blending to avoid splattering.) Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a saucepan. Repeat this process in thirds until all of the peas, spinach and liquid are blended. Whisk the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To Serve
Heat the pea soup to serve, or refrigerate until use, if serving chilled.