Green is the color of Spring. The grass returns to its lush green shade after the dull brown of winter. Deciduous trees & shrubs leaf out, many of them with some variation of green leaves. Flowers send up green shoots prior to bursting into a rainbow of colors. I’ve been enjoying all of these events occurring around our yard & property. All the green surrounding me outside must have been subliminally drawing me to this soup. Its 3 main ingredients are green. The extra added benefit was having 2 of those 3 items growing in my gardens.
For all those pea lovers out there, this soup is for you. Along with the peas, the vibrant green color of the soup comes from the spring onions and the mint in it. Spring onions are planted in the fall and harvested the following Spring. They look similar to scallions, with a small onion bulb at the base. They are basically more mature versions of scallions. They tend to have a more intense flavor than scallions, but in a recipe like this one where they are cooked, the two types of onions can be used interchangeably.
Spring Green Soup
Spring Green Soup (adapted from Good Food Magazine at bbcgoodfood.com)
Time required: prep time: 20 minutes, cook time: 25 minutes Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 spring onions or scallions, white & light green parts, sliced
- 1 medium potato, about 6 ounces, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 pounds frozen baby peas
- ½ cup loosely packed mint, about 1/2 ounce
- salt & pepper to taste
- additional spring onions, mint leaves and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Directions:
Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy based pan over medium heat. Add the spring onions and potato when the oil-butter mixture starts bubbling. Gently sauté the onions & potato for about 4 – 5 minutes.
Saute the onions & potato first.
Stir in the stock, then bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down and simmer the soup for 10 minutes or until the potato is tender.
Stir in the peas, raise the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil again.
Add the peas to the soup.
Cook it for about 3 minutes, until the peas are just done.
The peas don’t take long to cook.
Remove the pot from the heat, add the mint leaves and purée the soup with a wand blender, stand blender, or in a food processor, until it is smooth.
Add the mint into the soup and purée it all together.
Season the soup with salt & pepper to taste.
Season the soup with salt & pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls.
Ladle the soup into bowls for serving & garnish with additional onions, mint & Parmesan cheese.
Garnish the soup with additional sliced spring onions, sliced mint leaves and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
A trifecta of green in this soup!
Enjoy the bright green color of Spring in a soup! ~Linda
Spring Green Soup (adapted from Good Food Magazine at bbcgoodfood.com)
Time required: prep time: 20 minutes, cook time: 25 minutes Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 spring onions or scallions, white & light green parts sliced
- 1 medium potato, about 6 ounces, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 pounds frozen baby peas
- ½ cup loosely packed mint, about 1/2 ounce
- salt & pepper to taste
- additional spring onions, mint leaves and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Directions:
Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy based pan over medium heat. Add the spring onions and potato when the oil-butter mixture starts bubbling. Gently sauté the onions & potato for about 4 -5 minutes. Stir in the stock, then bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down and simmer the soup for 10 minutes or until the potato is tender.
Stir in the peas, raise the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil again. Cook it for about 3 minutes, until the peas are just done. Remove the pot from the heat, add the mint leaves, and purée the soup with a wand blender, stand blender, or in a food processor, until it is smooth.
Season the soup with salt & pepper to taste. Ladle it into bowls and garnish the soup with additional sliced spring onions, sliced mint leaves, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.