PEA AND PANCETTA SOUP

Before I start posting the recipe, I have to tell you that my L. (a friend of mine), came home for lunch, with a beautiful present. This time she gave me a gorgeous tureen. So it´s obvious I had to use it so that´s basically the reason I´m making this pea cream soup with some pancetta. I must tell you it´s  a really yummy starter for six.

PEA AND PANCETTA SOUP

INGREDIENTS
4 pancetta slices
2tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2 spring onions or shallots, finely chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 litre vegetable stock
500grs frozen peas
Small handful fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish (optional)

METHOD
Cut the pancetta in small pieces. Heat a large pot over medium heat and fry the pancetta slices until golden and crispy. Lift out and set aside in kitchen paper.

In the same pot, gently fry the onions for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in potatoes and cook for a further 5 min, until potatoes are softening. Add a splash of water if the ingredients look dry.

Add the stock, bring up to the boil and simmer for 15min or until potatoes are tender. Add the peas and bring back up to the boil. Cook for 1 min.

Then, add the mint leaves and some seasoning. In the recipe it says: "a small handful of fresh mint leaves". Well I´ve only used three leaves because this mint I still have in my terrace, is very fragant, it smells incredible.

Carefully blend the soup until completely smooth, (do this in batches if necessary, be careful if you process it when it´s still very hot, the cream will spill all over). Then I´ve strained the cream through a sieve.

Check the seasoning and I will brag again about my tureen. I can´t help it, I love it.

DONE!