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It’s now the peak of the pea season in our backyard. For me it’s the sweet announcement that Spring has arrived.

Peapod from Climbing Sugar Snap.

I have bad memories of split-pea soup from childhood. Pasty, with chunks of nasty ham. Blech. But soup made from fresh peas? That is a completely different creature.

An article by Anita spurred me to make soup this past weekend. Another influence was the Greenhill Pea and Leek Soup from The Inspired Vegetarian, by Louise Pickford and Gus Filgate. That recipe adds mint, which helps emphasize the brightness of the peas.

We used Sugar Snap peas, but English shelling peas or petits pois would also work well. Young green garlic is also in season, so I added that into the mix. When it’s not available, you can use garlic cloves or shallots —but do so in smaller amounts, since their aroma is stronger than young garlic. A creamy garnish is a nice finish, yet this soup stands well on its own without it.

Fresh pea soup with leeks and mint.

Ingredients

• 3 young leeks; clean away any dirt, and chop the white and pale green parts into thin discs or half-discs
• 4 to 6 young green garlic; clean away any dirt, and chop the white and pale green parts into thin discs. Or, substitute with 2 to 4 garlic cloves or shallots, minced.
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 quart hot chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 cups freshly shelled peas, roughly 10 ounces. This came from about 2 1/2 pounds of unshelled peas.
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 to 3 tablespoons mint (e.g., spearmint), minced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons parsley, minced
• (optional) crème fraîche, sour cream or yogurt, to garnish

Method

1. In a stock pot over medium high heat, sauté the leeks and garlic in the olive oil until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Add the stock, and simmer for 10 minutes over medium low heat.
3. Add the peas, and simmer until they are just cooked (not mushy), about 6 to 9 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Stir in the mint and about half of the parsley. Remove from heat, and purée to desired consistency. Ours came out with freckles of mint and parsley.
5. Serve in bowls, sprinkled with parsley, and a dollop of creaminess, if you wish.

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