1951. PEA and LOVAGE SOUP with CRISPY BACON

serves four


1 leek, roughly chopped and washed
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
50 grams butter or vegetable or corn oil (see above)
1.5 litres vegetable stock
300 grams podded weight of fresh or frozen peas
a couple of sprigs of lovage
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 rashers of rindless streaky bacon

Gently cook the leek and onion in the butter (or oil) until soft. Add the vegetable stock, season with salt and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the peas (reserving a few for garnish) and the lovage, bring back to the boil and simmer for 6-7 minutes.

Blend the soup in a liquidiser until smooth and strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Correct the seasoning if necessary. While the soup is cooking either fry or grill the bacon until crisp, leave to cool and chop it finely.

If you are serving the soup cold, then chill the warm liquid as quickly as possible on some ice so that it retains its vibrant green colour.

Serve with a few cooked peas in the soup and scatter with the bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Mark Hix, The Independent, Independent Print Limited, 2 Derry Street, London, W8 5HF, June 26, 2010