🥘 Carole’s pea and mint soup

Delicious and ready in 30 minutes. Make the soup in a saucepan and use a stick blender, or use a Thermomix©

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 400ml cider
• 400g frozen peas
• 400ml chicken stock
• Mint a good handful, chopped (extra leaves for garnish)

For the croutons and bacon

• 2 slices sourdough
• 77g pack diced pancetta

Step by step:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook for 10 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the cider and reduce by ½ to evaporate the alcohol, then add the frozen peas and chicken or vegetable stock. Simmer for 2 minutes, then add the mint and use a stick blender to whizz until completely smooth. Add a splash of boiling water if it’s a little thick. Season.
2. Heat a good glug of olive oil in a frying pan. Cut or tear your sourdough into cubes and tip them into the pan. Remove them from the pan when cooked and wipe the pan clean. Put the pancetta into the frying pan and gently heat until starting to crisp.
3. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the crispy breadcrumbs and bacon. Garnish with a sprig of mint leaves

Tips:

Use leeks instead of onion for a milder flavour. Use two cloves of garlic if you prefer a stronger flavour.

We used Kallo organic vegetable stock (£1.79 in most supermarkets) with excellent results.

A quick guide to making the croutons and crispy bacon topping. Make the croutons first so they don’t pick up the salt from the bacon. You won’t need to add any oil to the pan to cook the bacon as it will cook in its own fat. Dab the croutons and chopped bacon on kitchen paper to remove any fat before adding it to your soup.