Pea Shooters

My broken toe has pretty much limited my garden activities to sitting on the patio and gazing out at all the herbs that need trimming, or picking and using in the kitchen. How frustrating to see all that oregano, tarragon, mint, chives and parsley flowering and going to seed due to neglect.

Meanwhile, my fellow gardeners (the ones with two good legs) are having a hey-day making hearty salads, salsas, pesto, vegetable soups and garnishing everything from cold drinks to steaming hot pasta with the bounty from their gardens.

During a recent heat wave, newspaper food sections were staying away from writing about hot soups and casseroles, featuring instead cold soups for dinner that had the double benefit of using fresh vegetables and herbs from the garden. I found a recipe in the New York Times that seemed like something even a gimp could manage (with a few adjustments), so after a little shopping and a minimum of herb-gathering in the garden, I renamed the recipe and started in.

Pea Shooters

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced

Salt to taste

5 Cups frozen or fresh peas (I used 2 12-ounce bags of frozen peas)

3 Cups, tightly packed, coarsely chopped Bibb lettuce (about 1 head)

¼ Cup coarsely chopped tarragon leaves

¼ Cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

¼ Cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves

¼ Cup chopped chives

Small whole herb leaves for garnish

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot. (Set aside the remaining 2 tablespoons for use later). Add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the peas, lettuce and stock and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Drain through a strainer set over a bowl, and allow the vegetables and the broth to cool separately for 15 minutes. Taste the broth and season to taste.

Working in batches, puree the vegetables and herbs in a blender with the broth and remaining olive oil for 2 minutes per batch until smooth and frothy. Pour into a large bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Chill for several hours. 

Serve in soup bowls if this is to be the main course, but I like the idea of serving it in individual Irish coffee glasses, espresso cups or shot glasses as an appetizer or aperitif.  Either way, garnish each serving with leaves of tarragon or mint.

Makes 2 quarts, enough for six soup bowls, or 12-15 aperitifs.