Chilled Pea, Pear and Cucumber Soup

Name: Chilled Pea, Pear and Cucumber Soup
Ingredients: 4 tbsp butter; 2 medium white onions , peeled and chopped; 1 small cucumber , peeled and chopped; 7 oz frozen peas; 3 cups light chicken stock (if you want a totally vegetarian version, use vegetable bouillon) salt and pepper; 2 ripe pears , peeled, cored, and diced; 2/3 cup whipping cream; 1 tbsp chopped mint (apple mint is particularly good here); Serve with pears , peeled, cored, and diced (optional)

Chef

Simon Hopkinson

View

Cookbook

Second Helpings of Roast Chicken

Published by Hyperion

View

This image courtesy of Joseph DeLeo

An unusual combination but one that works beautifully; once you have tasted the first cool, smooth spoonful you will see what I mean. The idea was originally inspired by a soup that John Tovey used to make, with watercress in place of the cucumber. Equally nice, but I feel the cucumber helps to further transform it into a chilled soup that has summer sprinkled all over it. The addition of mint also adds to the effect.

NotesYou may further wish to garnish the soup with a small dice of fresh, ripe pear, simply for a contrast of textures.

Serves4

CostInexpensive

Easy

Total Timeunder 1 hour

Make Ahead RecipeYes

Recipe Coursecold appetizer

Equipmentblender

Mealdinner, lunch

Taste and Texturecreamy, savory

Type of Dishcold soup

Ingredients

4 tbsp butter
2 medium white onions, peeled and chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
7 oz frozen peas
3 cups light chicken stock (if you want a totally vegetarian version, use vegetable bouillon) salt and pepper
2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and diced
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp chopped mint (apple mint is particularly good here)
Serve with pears, peeled, cored, and diced (optional)

Instructions

Melt the butter in a roomy pan and add the onion. Allow to stew quietly for 5 minutes or so and then add the cucumber. Stir in and cook both until limp and tender. Tip in the peas and stock and bring to a boil.
Skim off any resultant scum that forms on the surface, season, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Puree with the pears in a blender and then pass through a sieve into a bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature and then stir in the cream.
Adjust the seasoning once more if necessary and place in the fridge, covered, until really cold; there is nothing worse than a tepid cold soup.
Ladle into chilled soup bowls and sprinkle with mint.