-minty pea, leek & smoked ham soup-
Soup is a big hit at home, especially during the wintry months. Nothing beats a warm bowl of soup
coupled with toasted bread at the end of a productive day. I used to think that making
soup was arduous & complicated, until I made my first pot as a result of my relentless craving.
It's really as simple as throwing together your favourite ingredients in a saucepan/pot,
cooking it, adding some stock, a little bit of simmering & blending- voila! This recipe is no different, I promise.
Truth be told, I disliked green peas & leek in my younger days, but I've grown to love the flavour
of these humble yet nutritious & inexpensive vegetables. They are both rich in fibre, vitamins & minerals
which is beneficial for digestive health. This recipe does call for the use of smoked ham to add a smokey
flavour, though it is a relatively small amount per serve, & you can leave it out if you wish. The mint leaves
adds a nice fragrant & a sweet, refreshing flavour that stimulates the senses. This recipe was
featured on the Feedfeed's Peas Series.
*Note: This soup can also be served chilled. Pair it with protein of choice if desired. If unable to
purchase salt-reduced stock, omit the salt in the recipe. Also, adjust consistency of soup
according to personal preference by adding more/less liquid.
coupled with toasted bread at the end of a productive day. I used to think that making
soup was arduous & complicated, until I made my first pot as a result of my relentless craving.
It's really as simple as throwing together your favourite ingredients in a saucepan/pot,
cooking it, adding some stock, a little bit of simmering & blending- voila! This recipe is no different, I promise.
Truth be told, I disliked green peas & leek in my younger days, but I've grown to love the flavour
of these humble yet nutritious & inexpensive vegetables. They are both rich in fibre, vitamins & minerals
which is beneficial for digestive health. This recipe does call for the use of smoked ham to add a smokey
flavour, though it is a relatively small amount per serve, & you can leave it out if you wish. The mint leaves
adds a nice fragrant & a sweet, refreshing flavour that stimulates the senses. This recipe was
featured on the Feedfeed's Peas Series.
*Note: This soup can also be served chilled. Pair it with protein of choice if desired. If unable to
purchase salt-reduced stock, omit the salt in the recipe. Also, adjust consistency of soup
according to personal preference by adding more/less liquid.
serves 5
prep 10-15 mins
cook 25-30 mins
ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups green peas (fresh/frozen)
- 1 leek, roughly chopped (use only the green part)
- 150g smoked ham, chopped
- 1/3 cup mint leaves, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 brown onion, halved & chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp cracked black pepper
- 1/4 tbsp sea salt
- 1 Litre salt-reduced vegetable stock
- herbs, to garnish (optional)
- bread, to serve
method
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Fry garlic, onion and leek until soft & fragrant.
- Add peas, smoked ham & mint & cook, stirring for 1 minute.
- Add vegetable stock & bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer, covered for 10 minutes.
- Uncover saucepan, taste, & season with cracked black pepper and sea salt. Turn off heat.
- Process the soup mixture in the saucepan using a hand blender. Alternatively, allow mixture to cool slightly before processing in a kitchen blender one portion at a time, until a smooth puree forms.
- If using a hand blender, stir soup in saucepan over medium-high heat for another 5 minutes/until hot. If using a blender to process soup, pour the mixture back into the saucepan & heat until hot.
- Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with herbs & serve immediately with crusty bread. *Y-U-M*