Healthy Pea Soup

Ever wonder why you rarely see fresh peas in the produce section of your supermarket? That's because the harvest season for fresh peas is exceptionally short, which is why they're usually found either frozen or canned. But if you hurry now, you can get fresh shelling peas from your local farmers' market before the season ends. Here's a delicious summer recipe for fresh pea soup.








2 lbs. fresh shelling peas (in pods)


4-1/2 cups water


2 bay leaves


4 sprigs fresh thyme


2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil


1 small onion, peeled and minced


1 small carrot, minced


1/2 medium celery stalk, minced


1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves


Salt (to taste)


1 Tbsp. minced chives


Remove peas from pods (you should have about 2-1/4 cups). Place empty pea pods, water, bay leaves, and thyme in large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer briskly for 15 minutes. Strain through sieve, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Reserve broth and discard solids. (You should have at least 3 cups of broth.)






Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and parsley and sauté until vegetables soften, about 6 minutes. Add 3 cups broth (reserve any extra to add later if needed) and simmer for 5 minutes to blend flavors. Add peas and cook just until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.






Puree soup in batches in blender until perfectly smooth, adding extra hot pea broth or hot water to thin if desired. Return to saucepan and add salt to taste. Ladle soup into individual bowls. Garnish with chives and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.






Preparation Time: 1 hour