Ham and Pea Soup

I never really liked ham and pea soup. However I got it in my head last Friday to make it for dinner. My stubbornness didn't get the better part of me that day or did it! It was supper easy and most of the prep was minimal. I managed to do it earlier in the day.  

Ham and Pea Soup

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1 tablespoon of butter

1 onion, sliced

1 leek, trimmed and sliced

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon of tarragon

4 cups low sodium organic vegetable stock

450 grams frozen peas, thawed or fresh peas, shelled

7 ounces/200grams lean ham, chopped

4 tablespoons heavy cream

Salt and pepper to season

Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until slightly softened. Stir in the leek and continue to stir and cook for another 2 minutes. At this point the smell of the onion and leeks sautéing together is wonderful! Add the vegetable stock, peas, ham, bay leaf and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for another 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove the bay leaf. That is always fun. It's like searching for buried treasure. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Place about half of the soup into a food processor or blender. and blend until smooth. Returning the blended soup back into the pot with the rest of the soup, stir in the cream and cook over low heat for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with a sprig of fresh tarragon on top. I did the oldest trick in the book by drizzling fresh cream on top. 

I made parmesan shortbread to serve with the soup. I quite enjoyed this soup and would absolutely like to try and make a mint and pea soup. One very reminiscent of the lovely Fortnum and Mason's soup I tasted last summer. - JW