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    Home » Recipe » Soup

    Spring Pea Soup

    Published: Mar 2, 2010 · Modified: Oct 22, 2014 by Jennifer Che

    Spring Pea Soup
    Yes, I know it's not spring yet.  And the snow we've been getting lately seems to indicate that spring is nowhere nearby.  Yet the weather has been getting a little warmer lately, and guess what? It's already March!   Time really flies.  Christmas really felt like just yesterday.

    I whipped this up tonight because I wanted vegetables for dinner yet I was too hungry and tired to stop by a supermarket.  Instead I supported my local tiny urban convenience store and picked up 2 packages of frozen peas.

    I like this soup because it's so simple yet so flexible at the same time.  Unlike its cousin, the hearty split-pea soup, this soup is light, fresh, and totally reminds me of spring.  You can really taste the natural sweetness of the peas, which I love.
    PeaSoup-6
    Ingredients
    1 onion - sliced
    2 packages of frozen peas
    4-8 strips of bacon
    1 cup broth (or water)
    bacon
    Cook bacon over medium-low heat in a skillet until the bacon is nice and crispy (6-10 minutes).  Remove the bacon.  Pour off most of the bacon fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan.  Saute the onions in the bacon fat until the onions are soft and slightly browned (about 15 minutes).  Add peas and 1 cup of broth and cook at medium heat until the peas are soft (about 5 minutes).  Blend with a hand blender, and salt to taste.
    _1020218-1
    Bacon is optional, but it really adds a nice crunch and smokiness to the dish.  Crumble the bacon and sprinkle on top of the soup.  This can also be enjoyed chilled.
    _1020219-1
    The secret to keeping the pea soup this gorgeous bright green color?  Just a touch of acid (Vitamin C!) to prevent oxidation (which leads to browning) from occurring. I threw in a splash of lemon juice.  You can also crush up a Vitamin C tablet and throw it in after you've blended the peas.  For a nerdy science lesson, scroll to the bottom.  🙂

    I would treat this "recipe" more as a guide than an actual recipe.  I personally did not actually measure out anything.  You can play around with this recipe.  Try using different broths, or different aromatics.  I bet shallots or leeks would also taste good.  You can also experiment with herbs, such as mint, basil, or parsley.  Some people like add heavy cream, which makes it less spring-like, but still delicious in a very different way.  Experiment!  And have fun.  🙂

    Nerdy Science Lesson
    Oxidation
    Many fruits and vegetables can turn brown upon contact with oxygen because of certain "defense" compounds (1- and 2- ring phenolic compounds) in the plant's cells.  When the cell wall is bruised, the phenolic compounds escape, reacting with plant enzymes and oxygen.  You can reduce or eliminate browning either by 1) killing the enzymes (boiling/high heat) 2) chilling the food below 40° F, 4° C to slow down the oxidation or 3) Adding a bit of acid to slow down the oxidation process.  Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) inhibits browning in two ways.  It's a strong reducing agent (undo-ing the oxidation that's occuring) and it's also an anti-oxidant, scooping up oxygen so it can't react with the phenols in the plant.

    Disclaimer
    This post is being submitted for a chance to win Foodbuzz's BACONALIA challenge
     
    Fresh Pea Soup on Foodista

    ©2009-2014 Tiny Urban Kitchen
    All Rights Reserved

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    Trackbacks

    1. Stonyfield Yogurt Pearls says:
      February 28, 2015 at 12:34 pm

      […] to food. You can see this all over my blog, from my forays into molecular gastronomy to the “nerdy science lesson” at the end of my spring pea soup recipe explaining how acid helps preserve […]

      Log in to Reply
    2. Tiny Urban Kitchen is 10 Years Old! - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      October 1, 2019 at 12:01 pm

      […] Spring Pea Soup […]

      Log in to Reply
    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

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