Mint, Pea & Lettuce Soup
(Serves 6)
Ingredients
- 50g butter
- 2 onions, peeled & chopped
- 1 clove garlic, peeled & chopped (optional)
- 2 potatoes, peeled & cut into small pieces
- 2 handfuls of lettuce leaves – the outer leaves are fine
- 125g shelled fresh or frozen peas
- 850mls chicken stock
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- Handful of mint leaves, stripped from the stalks
- 6 tablespoons single cream
- Finely chopped parsley
Method
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onions, garlic and potatoes and cook over gentle heat for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time to prevent sticking.
Add the lettuce and peas to the saucepan and stir in the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer very gently for 30 minutes, until the pieces of potato are soft. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to cool.
Puree the cooled vegetables in a blender, together with the mint leaves. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, pour the pureed soup into a bowl and chill. To serve, spoon the soup into soup plates, pour a spoonful of cream on top of each plateful and add a sprinkling of finely sliced mint.
