Afternoon Tea Part 1: Minted Spring Pea Soup

This is the first in a two-part “afternoon tea” recipe series.

For some reason, springtime always makes me think of afternoon tea, in a lovely display of fresh herbal notes. The recipes that I am sharing for May and June are simple and pair so well together. This month will be a minted pea soup; next month will be cucumber sandwiches and a fresh cherry-lime jam atop cream scones. There are so many great teas at the Farmer’s Market, it is hard to go wrong! I like pairing this with a mint or a citrus tea, or even something classic like Earl Grey.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh shelled peas (can use frozen if fresh is unavailable)
• 2 shallots
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Finely dice the shallots and saute with olive oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat for 2-4 minutes. The shallots should be softened but not browned.
2. Add the broth, mint, and peas, and simmer over medium heat for 7-8 minutes if using fresh peas (3-4 minutes if using frozen). Avoid overcooking the peas—they will lose their vibrant green color and be a mushy texture.
3. Transfer to a blender and blend on high until smooth.
4. If you wish for a very refined texture for the soup, pass it through a fine mesh strainer to remove some of the fiber.
5. Return the soup to the pot and add the heavy cream (can add a splash more if you’d like it to be richer).
6. Add salt and pepper to taste. I start sparingly with salt, no more than a ¼ tsp, and add small pinches until I reach the seasoning level that tastes best.
7. Top with a swirl of Greek yogurt for extra tanginess and decorate with fresh mint leaves.