Souped Up
On the cusp of spring, a salute to the versatile pea - dried, fresh, and frozen.
Pea soup is a seasonal swinger. Pale, dry split peas and the hearty, rib-sticking soup they make fortify you against the bluster and chill of winter as few other dishes can, with comfort and satisfaction in every bite. Fresh, green, sweet peas, on the other hand, have long been a sign that spring is here - or at least nearby. Creamy, verdant green pea soup is suffused with their sweetness and tastes like spring. Tortellini in brodo is an Italian classic that straddles the seasons. The broth with pasta is usually garnished with greens such as spinach or escarole, but I like to vary that formula this time of year by substituting fresh peas for their sweet flavor and seasonal symbolism.
Though I'm not usually a fan of frozen vegetables, frozen green peas stand in admirably for fresh. They deliver not only excellent flavor but also a pass on the tedium of extracting the genuine article from their pods.
SMOOTH AND CREAMY GREEN PEA SOUP
SERVES 6
Vegetarians can substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1 quart homemade or packaged low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
2 pounds fresh or frozen peas
1 small head Boston, bibb or other butter lettuce, pale inner leaves reserved for garnish and remaining leaves chopped (about 8 cups)
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
Pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons snipped chives, sliced scallions, or chopped fresh mint, or a combination, for garnish
In a large Dutch oven or soup pot set over medium heat, melt the butter and heat until the foaming subsides. Add the leek, stir to coat with the butter, cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Continuing to stir, add broth and 1 cup of water in a slow, steady stream; increase heat to high, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute. Add peas and lettuce and return the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer until peas are heated through and lettuce is wilted, about 5 minutes. In a food processor or jar blender, or in the pot using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until it is smooth, and strain it into a large bowl, discarding solids. Rinse the pot, return strained mixture to it, set over medium-low heat, add half-and-half and salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, slice the reserved lettuce leaves very thinly. Adjust seasoning of the soup with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve at once, garnishing each bowl with some sliced lettuce and some chives, scallions, or mint, or a combination.
SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH HAM
SERVES 6
When we were colleagues at Cook's Illustrated, a good friend, cookbook author Pam Anderson, taught me to use a small picnic ham to provide both broth and meat for split pea soup. Salt this soup carefully, since the ham is salty to begin with.
1 1/4 pound boneless smoked ham
4 bay leaves
7 cups water
1 pound dried split peas, picked through and rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra to taste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Pepper, to taste
Finely minced red onion or thin-sliced scallion, for garnish
In a covered Dutch oven or large soup pot set over medium-high heat, bring the ham, bay leaves, and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer until broth is flavorful and the ham is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove 1 cup of liquid from the pot and set aside; remove the ham from the pot and when it's cool enough to handle, trim away and discard the fat, shred or cut the meat into bite-size pieces, and set aside.
Add the split peas and thyme to the ham stock, replace cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until peas are tender, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet set over medium-high heat, heat the butter and oil until foaming subsides. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are browned, about 12 minutes. Add the vegetables and ham to the split pea mixture and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until some of the split peas dissolve and thicken the soup, about 20 minutes longer. Add the parsley, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if desired, and adjust the thickness, if necessary, by adding up to 1 cup of the reserved ham stock. Serve at once, garnishing each bowl with a sprinkle of red onion or scallion.
TORTELLINI IN BRODO
SERVES 6
This is a great dish to use homemade chicken broth, if you have it.
2 quarts homemade or packaged low-sodium chicken broth
18 to 20 ounces fresh cheese tortellini
1 pound frozen petite peas
Salt and pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Minced parsley, for garnish
In a large saucepan or soup pot set over medium-high heat, bring the broth to a boil. Add the tortellini, stir, return to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until tortellini are almost al dente, about 3 minutes. Add peas, stir, and simmer until peas are heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve at once, garnishing each portion with a sprinkling of Parmesan and parsley.
Send comments or suggestions to Adam Ried at cooking@globe.com. 