Recipes

Pea and tarragon soup with crispy pancetta

Vanessa Greenwood
Sat Jul 30 2016 - 04:00
Serves: 6
Course: Starter
Cooking Time: 0 hr 20 mins
Ingredients
  • Serves six
  • 3 slices pancetta
  • 30g butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Handful tarragon leaves
  • Half a green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 500g frozen peas
  • 800ml good quality chicken stock (or veg stock)
  • Half a tsp sugar
  • 50ml cream, whipped
  • A few pea shoots
  • Salt and freshly cracked pepper

To prepare the garnish, bake the pancetta slices on an oven tray in an oven preheated to 180 degrees/gas 4 for 12-15 minutes, until crisp. Whip the cream.

In a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, melt the butter and oil, add the onion, celery, garlic, season and stirring occasionally until softened, four to six minutes, before adding the tarragon and chilli and stirring for another 10 seconds. Stir in the peas, add the stock and sugar, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.

Whizz to a smooth consistency with a handheld stick blender. Season to taste. To serve, bring the soup to a boil, stir in the whipped cream at the boiling stage to give it a nice foaming effect. Serve in warm bowls. Break the pancetta into crisps and scatter over the soup, and garnish with pea shoots.

LATEST STORIES