Bit of a belated recipe post for a festive Christmas soup to use up those leftovers and freshen the taste buds after an indulgent feast! Apologies if the posts have been a little thin on the ground recently. I haven’t stopped eating or reverted to a juice only January diet that some of my friends (sorry acquaintances) have been doing (!?). I also haven’t stopped cooking….or taking photos! Far from it. But the combination of a broken laptop and a delicious adventure to Paris over New Year stole my attention temporarily.
I’m no killjoy so don’t worry, the health benefits of the peas in this recipe can be couteracted slightly if you’ve invested some well worth time into cooking a delicious succulent sugar glazed ham and have any straggling leftovers to pop in. Simialry this can be countereacted with some cheese saturated paremsan croutons. Alternatively continue the alcohol themed festivities and serve with a delicious door-stop wedge of my served ’Boy Beer Bread’ slathered with salted butter.
Pea, Mint and Ham Soup
Serves 4
- 550g frozen peas (50g reserved)
- 750ml hot stock
- 1 onion, chopped finely
- 1 large clove garlic, diced
- 1 large knob butter
- Small handful thyme, leaves stripped
- Handful fresh mint
- Large handful of leftover shredded or chopped ham or ham hock
- Serve with parmesan croutons below of butter slathered bread. E.g. a wedge of my ’Boy Beer Bread’
- Heat the butter with a splash of oil in a large saucepan until beginning to sizzle.
- Slowly cook and soften the onion for about 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a few more minutes.
- Next, turn up the heat and add the peas and mix. Add 600ml of the hot stock and half the mint leaves
- Bring to the boil and simmer for about 8 minutes.
- After this time remove from the heat and blend with a stick blender. Add more stock if you want it thinner, this with vary on how you like you’re soup.
- Chop the reminaing mint leaves and then add to soup and blend again.
- Return the soup to the hob and add the reserved whole peas and stir in the ham.
- Heat through for a few minutes then enjoy!
Parmesan Croutons
- 250g stale bread, cut or ripped into large croutons
- 4 large dessertspoons of grated parmesan
- About 4 tbsp olive oil
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Douse the bread in the olive oil in a large baking tray. Cover with the parmesan and mix. Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes until golden and crispy.
