Green Pea Soup

     Pea soup doesn't sound very exciting and probably wouldn't roll off the tongue of many as a favorite soup.  I will admit I was a little skeptical of pea soup, but when you can make a meal for $3.00 you begin to accept the idea of branching out.  My first trial of pea soup was just "okay" and I didn't care for it's watery consistency.  Things really changed when I decreased the liquid and increased the vegetables.  Pea soup transformed into a thick, sweet, salty, bowl of warmth, perfect for a cool winter evening.  It is one of the quickest cooking soups I have every made, plus it freezes and reheats extremely well.  

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 3 (9 ounce) boxes frozen peas* (see note)
• 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• ½ cup water

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until very tender, about 15 minutes.  Add the garlic, sea salt, and pepper and cook for 30 seconds, or until the garlic becomes fragrant.  Add the frozen peas, chicken stock, and water.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.  
2. Once the soup has cooled slightly, use an immersion blender to coarsely puree the soup.  Leaving a few whole peas in the soup will be just fine.  Serve immediately or cool slightly before refrigerating.  

*Note:  I use Green Giant brand frozen boxed steamer peas in this recipe.  The peas have salt, sugar and baking soda added.  If you choose to use plain frozen peas, you may need to increase the salt by ½ to 1 teaspoon.  Additionally, adding a ½ teaspoon of sugar will sweeten the peas.

Make ahead:  Prepare the recipe as directed above and refrigerate or freeze.  If refrigerating, reheat the soup over medium heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent any peas from sticking to the bottom of the pot.  If freezing, defrost completely in the refrigerator before reheating.  Refrigerate up to 5 days and freeze up to 3 months.  

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