Spring Chilled Pea Soup

Although our local farmers don't all grow sugar snap peas or Chinese edible peas in their pods, maybe like me, you have some growing in your yard. I swear they grow over night, because there are so many new pods each day! I adapted this recipe from Food & Wine magazine, and substituted Chinese peas for the sugar snap peas. My friends the Sommers share this with me last night and they agreed that the little bit of rosemary and garlic infused cream and bacon bits on top made it extra special. Prefect for a warm spring afternoon or evening. Happy Easter and spring! It will serve 6-8 as a first course.

Ingredients

8 slices of bacon

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 celery ribs, thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 leek, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced

5 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

Two 4-inch fresh rosemary sprigs

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

1/2 pound sugar snap peas, thinly sliced

16-20 ounce boxes frozen baby peas

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

½ cup heavy cream

1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

1. In a medium soup pot, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned and crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate. Pour off the fat in the pot.
   
2. In the same pot, heat the olive oil.
   
3. Add the celery, onion and leek and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 7 minutes.
   
4. Add the chicken stock, 4 slices of the cooked bacon, 1 rosemary sprig and a pinch each of salt and white pepper.
   
5. Simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the bacon and rosemary.
   
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor.
   
7. Blanch the fresh peas for about 2-3 min. Remove and cool under running water. Add the frozen peas and parsley leaves to the pot of boil water. Heat for about 1 min, drain.
   
8. Add all the peas and parsley to the processor and puree. Adding a few Tablespoons of broth to loosen the soup.
   
9. Transfer the soup and reaming broth to a large bowl set in another bowl of ice water to cool.
   
10. In a small sauce pan bring the cream, garlic and rosemary sprig to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 5 mins.
    
11. Serve the chilled soup drizzled with the garlic cream and topped with the remaining 4 slices of bacon that have been chopped or crumbled.