Green Pea Soup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 table spoon onion, small diced

2 cups / 300 grams green peas, frozen

2 cups / 400ml vegetable stock, homemade or store-bought

4 medium pieces fresh mint leaves

pinch coarse kosher salt

pinch black pepper from the mill

4 tablespoons smoked ham, (sliced and then cut into fine strips)

2 slices white toast-bread, cut into small cubes

1 table spoon red radish, (sliced and then cut into fine strips)

1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped or sliced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Heat up the frying pan with ½ table spoon butter over medium heat.

Add in the bread cubes

Continue cooking and stirring until the bread becomes crunchy and golden brown. Then remove from stove and set aside.

Heat up the frying pan with ½ table spoon butter over medium heat.

Add in the smoked bacon strips

Continue cooking and stirring until the smoked ham becomes crisp but not brown. Then remove from stove and set aside.

Set a pot of water to boil on the stove

Prepare a large bowl of ice water nearby.

Remove the peas from the freezer, and drop them into the pot of boiling water.

Let the peas come to a boil (takes 1-2 minutes), then quickly strain the peas through a kitchen colander / strainer and transfer peas to the bowl of ice water.

Leave the peas in the ice water for 1-2 minutes. Drain peas well in a colander and set aside

Heat the oil in a saucepan and melt 1½ table spoon butter over medium heat until foamy.

Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3-4 minutes.

Add green peas, vegetable stock and mint leaves, bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Remove from stove and transfer the pea soup to a kitchen blender and blend, starting at the lowest speed and increasing to high, until very smooth, about 1-2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper. “Et Voila” our soup is ready to plate…

Pour the pea soup into a deep serving dish bowl.

Spoon the croutons and smoked ham randomly onto the soup.

Sprinkle some of the parsley and the red radish strips.

Sprinkle with some extra virgin olive oil

Add a few round of fresh black pepper from the mill.