Hot or Cold Pea & Lovage Soup

Hot or Cold Pea & Lovage Soup

Of all the seasons, spring often has a propensity to be the most fickle when it comes to the weather. Mother Nature has a canny ability to lull you into a false sense of security with balmy, sun-drenched days, yet she can cruelly cast them aside in the blink of an eye, and in their place come bitter winds and monsoon rains. I like to think this recipe keeps you one step ahead of these curveballs, as it is equally good eaten chilled on a beautiful temperate day, as it is served warm with butter-laden, crusty bread on a chilly, drizzly day.

Ingredients

Spring · Serves 2

  • a knob of grass-fed butter, for frying

  • 1 large

    onion, finely diced

  • 2

    garlic cloves, finely sliced

  • 600ml (20fl oz)

    vegetable stock

  • 750g (1lb 10oz)

    peas, fresh or frozen

  • 2 tbsp

    chopped lovage leaves, plus a few extra sprigs to garnish

  • juice of ½ lemon

  • 200ml (7fl oz)

    double cream, plus extra to garnish

  • flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Buy available ingredients
Recipe image

Method

Heat the butter in a saucepan, then add the onion and garlic along with a pinch of sea salt and sweat down until they have become translucent, around 6–7 minutes.

Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add the peas and simmer for around 2–3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lovage, lemon juice and double cream. Set aside to cool.

Once cooled, transfer to a blender and whizz until completely smooth. (If you want to retain some texture, reserve a few spoonfuls of peas to add back into the soup later.) Check the seasoning, adding a pinch of black pepper and more salt if required.

Serve chilled or warm with crusty bread, drizzled with a little extra cream and garnished with a few lovage leaves and a twist of black pepper, if wished.
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