Chilled Garden Pea Soup

What you need: 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 scallions (spring onions) sliced thin 4 cups frozen peas (Faith likes Birds Eye Sweet Garden Peas) 1 cup water 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock Pinch of salt ½ cup crème fraiche Fresh mint (optional)

Place the olive oil and scallions in a saucepan over medium heat and stir briefly. Do not brown the scallions.

Add the frozen peas and stir.
Add the water and stock.
Cover and bring to a boil. Check to see if the peas are tender.

Uncover, turn the heat down and simmer for approximately 7 minutes.
The peas should be quite tender now.

Remove from the stove and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Puree in two batches in a blender and pour into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
This soup is best made a day ahead.

Before serving add a dollop of crème fraiche or using a pastry bag, pipe thin concentric circles of the crème and using the sharp point of a knife, draw a line through them to the side of each soup plate to create a web. Garnish with the mint.

Of course if you are lucky enough to have enough fresh peas in season to make this, use them. You will cook them a few minutes less. Faith also uses her precious fresh peas for traditional salmon and peas on the Fourth of July.

For a variation on this dish, try garlic or another flavor infused olive oil. You may also add ¼ cup fresh mint leaves when pureeing.

A lovely first course or luncheon entrée. Serves six.

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