Sweet Pea Soup With Pancetta Recipes

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook onion about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and soft, stirring frequently.
• Blend onion, peas, spinach, lemon juice, thyme and 2 cups chicken broth in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Return to same saucepan. Stir in remaining broth. Gently heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in cream, if desired. Heat over low heat about 1 minute. DO NOT BOIL. Garnish with garlic croutons, if desired.

Steps:

• In a stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook out all the fat. Add garlic and shallot, saute until tender. Add onion, celery and carrot, saute until tender.
• Stir in split peas; combine well. Add chicken stock, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until peas are soft and are falling apart. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
• Place a few ladles of soup into a blender and add a couple handfuls of spinach. Blend until spinach is incorporated. Place soup in a second pot. Repeat with remaining soup and spinach. Warm soup over very low heat.

Steps:

• Spread the pancetta over the base of a medium soup pan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, rendering the fat, until browned on the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate. Pour off all but a thin coating of fat. Return to medium heat, and add the garlic and leek. Cook until soft on the edges. Add the peas, broth and 2 cups of water. Season with salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the peas are just tender, about 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the chives and tarragon. Let steep for 5 minutes. Ladle the soup in small batches into a blender and purée until smooth (because it is hot, turn the blender on low and hold the lid on tight). Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a little lemon juice to sharpen the flavor. Meanwhile, break the bread into small croutons and toss in a bowl with olive oil, just to coat. Ladle soup into bowls and top each bowl with a little pancetta and a few croutons.