This is another allotment soup, well it could be if you or I had one and grew peas, cucumber, mint and spring onions. That’s what it takes to make this lovely soup, one to serve hot or cold with or without the final dollop of mascarpone I added as an afterthought.
Serves 4
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
bunch spring onions
25g butter
1 small cucumber
200g peas or frozen petits pois
20 mint leaves
750ml light chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsp mascarpone, optional
Trim and finely slice the spring onions. Soften in 25g melted butter with a pinch salt in medium pan over a medium-low heat. Meanwhile, use a potato peeler to peel the cucumber. Halve lengthways and use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds. Chop. Stir the cucumber into the softened, un-browned onion and add the stock. Increase the heat and bring to the boil. Add the peas and adjust the heat so the soup simmers for a few minutes to cook the peas. Add mint leaves and liquidize for several minutes to completely break down the peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the mascarpone for a creamy finish. Serve hot or cold. Leftovers, if there are any, makes a lovely sauce for cous cous; recipe for Green Cous Cous follows (Moroccan Kebabs, Green Cous Cous and Tzatziki) follows.