Equipment
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 250 ml vegetable stock, cold or room temperature
- 500 g green peas, fresh or thawed frozen
- 15 g fresh mint, leaves picked, stems discarded
- 300 ml buttermilk, cold, well-shaken
Pantry Staples
- 15 ml olive oil
- kosher salt
- white pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and sweat until translucent but not browned, about 3 minutes.
Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a rapid simmer. Add the green peas and cook just until tender and vibrant green, about 2 minutes. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its bright color.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately stir in the fresh mint leaves. Transfer the entire mixture to a blender.
Blend on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until completely smooth. For an ultra-refined texture, you can optionally pass the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a mixing bowl.
Chill the mixing bowl in the refrigerator until the pea base is completely cold, dropping below 4°C/40°F, which takes about 2 hours. Alternatively, stir the bowl over an ice bath for rapid chilling.
Once the base is completely cold, use a whisk to gently fold in the cold buttermilk until fully incorporated. Season aggressively to taste with kosher salt and white pepper.
Ladle into chilled serving bowls. Garnish with a few extra drops of olive oil, a scattering of whole peas, and small mint leaves. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- To preserve the brilliant green color of the peas, an ice bath is highly recommended for chilling the blended base quickly. Rapid cooling halts the residual cooking process instantly.
- White pepper is specified instead of black pepper to maintain the pristine, uniform color of the soup without introducing black specks.
- Whole milk buttermilk yields the best mouthfeel and richest flavor, but low-fat works well if that is what you have on hand. Always shake well before measuring.
- This soup relies heavily on seasoning since it is served cold. Cold temperatures mute flavors on the palate, so you will likely need more salt than you would for a hot soup.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Whisk well before serving as the buttermilk may separate slightly upon sitting.
