I’m so excited to have one of my dear friends share a fantastic springtime recipe here today! I have looked up to Lauren for a long time for her confidence in the kitchen, her love of cooking and sharing meals with others, and her fabulous restaurant recommendations. Our stories overlap back and forth, starting before she was even in college when we worked at the same camp together, extending to shooting her wedding a couple years ago, with a whole lot in between!

You might remember that I mentioned her family in a post last summer on stovetop popcorn – they get complete credit for inspiring me to learn how to make it!

I absolutely love that Lauren and her husband have ended up in North Carolina, not too far from us. If you’re ever in the Chapel Hill area and need a good restaurant suggestion, Lauren is the person to talk to!

I can attest that this soup is totally fresh and delicious. It’s perfect for these days lately that have been hinting at spring, but still get chilly in the evenings.

Without further ado, I’ll hand it over to Lauren!

Spring has arrived in North Carolina! It’s hard to believe that just three short weeks ago there were several inches of snow on the ground.

In honor of spring, I would like to share a recipe for Fresh Spring Pea Soup. I know that peas can get a bad rap, but this soup is amazingly flavorful, healthy, and shockingly green! It’s also a bit impressive when serving it to friends, but super simple (and quick) to make.

The origin of this soup comes from my favorite chef- Ina Garten, also known as The Barefoot Contessa. I love Ina for her classic and “Foolproof” recipes, and of course for her love of Paris. Paris and recipes aside, I believe my (more than minor) infatuation* with The Barefoot Contessa comes from the way that her food unites my family as we live states apart.

Every week my sister (Chelsy), my mom, and I share food stories over the phone. For me, the joy of making a great meal is only multiplied when I am able to share the details with them. Although we can’t physically sit down to eat dinner together, we love poring over recipes and meal ideas, laughing & learning from each other’s cooking fails, and celebrating successful dinners together.

I can’t quite remember if it was my sister or my mom who sent me this recipe the first time, but we’ve all made it at some point, and have decided to put it in our arsenal of good soup recipes. I hope you enjoy making & eating it, and that you find yourself sharing it with your favorite foodie friend.

*Chelsy and I have (somewhat jokingly) dreamed of going to the Hamptons to stalk Ina at her gorgeous home 🙂

Fresh Spring Pea Soup With Crème Fraiche & Garlic Croutons

Adapted from Ina Garten

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Servings 4 -6

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups chopped leeks white and light green parts (about 2-3 leeks) (Asharae's note - if you're unfamiliar with leeks, fear not! They're easy to use - be sure to check out this video on how to clean your leeks before you get started!)
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 4 cups chicken stock homemade or store-bought
• 2 10-ounce packages frozen peas (the freezing process locks in freshness)
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup crème fraiche
• ½ cup chopped fresh chives
• Garlic croutons for topping (see recipe below)

Instructions

 

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
• Add the leeks and onion. Cook on medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes until the onion is tender.
• Add the chicken stock, and turn the heat to high to bring it to a boil.
• Add the peas and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the peas are tender.
• Turn off the heat, and add the mint, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
• Next is the fun part- Pureeing the soup until smooth. As Asharae has mentioned in her previous posts, the immersion blender is a great tool for soups like this. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use your regular blender or food processor to puree the soup until smooth. Just be careful when transferring the extremely hot liquid.
• Whisk in the crème fraiche and chives and add more salt and pepper to your preference.
• Serve hot with garlic croutons, a tiny dollop of crème fraiche, a sprinkle of snipped chives, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Asharae’s Note: If you’re looking for the immersion blender I recommend, check out this one. I seriously use it all the time.

Garlic Croutons

Adapted from Martha Stewart

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Ingredients

  

• ½ loaf of crunchy bakery bread my favorite is a rustic Italian or French loaf, and day or two old works great
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 

• Heat your oven to 400 degrees.
• (You can make croutons in a skillet on the stove or in the oven. If making on the stove, read more about that method here.)
• Cut the bread into cubes. I never make mine look perfect- always going for that easy, rustic feel.
• Toss the bread cubes in a large bowl with a generous amount of olive oil (I tend to use a lot). Then add the garlic, a heavy pinch of salt, and several cracks of pepper to the bowl and mix it all together.
• Spread your croutons on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet (rimmed sheets are great for keeping these little guys from slipping off the pan, and foil makes the clean-up process way easier). You want them spread out and not too crowded.
• Bake for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. You will want to give them a good stir or shake about half way through to get all of the sides browned.
• Set aside to cool while you make your soup.

Notes

These babies are also awesome on salads (often with a bit of parm melted on them)

This post contains affiliate links, but all opinions are my own.