Spring

Spring pea soup with rhubarb

May 11, 2011
4
4 Ratings
  • Serves 4-6
Author Notes

Well, I had some peas and decided I wanted to make a pea soup. I had a bit of leftover coconut milk, so I decided to stir that in to give it creaminess and subtle coconut flavor. I was thinking about giving the soup a toasted curry oil swirl (which I still might try as well), but then I got distracted by the huge pile of rhubarb currently in my fridge and started wondering what rhubarb and peas would be like together. So, I whipped up a quick rhubarb sauce to swirl in. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the sweet-tanginess of the rhubarb was a wonderful accent in the creamy sweet pea soup. —fiveandspice

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Ingredients
  • Pea soup with coconut
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 spring leek, washed and sliced, just the white and light green portion
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • 2 cups good chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 cups fresh English peas (you could use frozen defrosted peas in a pinch, I think)
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • salt and pepper
  • rhubarb sauce (see below) and chopped fresh mint for serving
  • Rhubarb sauce
  • 2 cups chopped rhubarb
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • salt and pepper
Directions
  1. Pea soup with coconut
  2. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium soup pot. Add the onion, leek, and ginger stir to coat with oil, then cover and cook over medium for about 5 minutes until soft. You want them to "sweat" but you don't want them to get brown.
  3. Add in the stock and bring to a simmer (if you like a thicker soup, you could also throw in a chopped potato at this point and simmer it until tender. Once the potato is ready you would add the peas). Then, stir in the peas and cook until the peas are just tender. This goes quickly, just a couple minutes. Then take off the heat.
  4. Puree the soup in a couple of batches in a blender until quite smooth (and quite green!). Return the soup to the pot and stir in the coconut milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Spoon the soup into bowls, swirl in a dollop of rhubarb compote and sprinkle generously with chopped fresh mint. I served this soup warm, but I should think it could also be quite good chilled though if you go for chilled you may need to re-blend it to keep the coconut emulsified.
  1. Rhubarb sauce
  2. Combine the rhubarb, water and sugar in a small saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat until the rhubarb is falling apart and cooked down into a sauce, this takes around 15 minutes.
  3. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. You could also try stirring in a pinch of coriander. Serve dolloped atop the pea soup.

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12 Reviews

breakbread June 28, 2012
I've got quarts of my fresh garden peas and absolutely cannot wait to make this for dinner with a new use for rhubarb! I'm wondering about a lightened coconut version. Anyone try any variations?
fiveandspice June 28, 2012
I haven't tried it, but I imagine you could lighten it up just fine. It would just be a bit less creamy.
cookinginvictoria May 17, 2011
Beautiful -- this looks really delicious. Love rhubarb in savory dishes, and the combo of coconut milk and peas sounds absolutely divine.
fiveandspice May 17, 2011
Thank you cookinginvictoria! I love rhubarb in savory dishes too...and sweet...and pretty much anywhere, actually!
gingerroot May 16, 2011
What a wonderfully creative interpretation of spring pea soup. I love all the flavors you have in here!
fiveandspice May 16, 2011
Thanks so much gingerroot! It grew out of what I had around. It makes me think of some of the fun and unexpectedly delicious ways you combine flavors! :)
gingerroot May 17, 2011
Aw, thanks! : ) Funny, because so often I'm inspired by your amazing recipes.
fiveandspice May 17, 2011
We're a positive feedback loop!
Sagegreen May 15, 2011
How interesting! Lovely combinations.
fiveandspice May 15, 2011
Thank you! I was very pleasantly surprised by how it turned out. Very light and springy!
wssmom May 11, 2011
You are killing me with deliciousness!!
fiveandspice May 11, 2011
Oh dear! Didn't mean to be violent with the deliciousness! ;-)