This recipe is super-fast and comes exclusively from my Cordon Bleu school.
There’s one type of dish that’s always guaranteed to keep you warm during the cold winter months: Soup! Everyone here in London, often on their way home from work, at some point stops and wonders what they’re going to cook for dinner? This is when laziness can get the better of us, and we end up buying some ready meal from the supermarket.
Well, don’t! This recipe is delicious and super practical! Better still, it only takes 10 minutes to prepare!
Whenever I do cooking demonstrations at live events, I notice just how much more willing people are to replicate it at home when I keep it simple. If the recipe requires hard work… forget it, people lose interest. They don’t have the time. So, practicality is key!
Almost everyone has a packet of peas stashed away in their freezer, so go grab it: today’s recipe is vegetarian and heavenly.
Pea Velouté
Velouté, in French cuisine, is considered the “mother of all sauces”. It’s the base of most sauces and begins with a roux (a mixture of flour and butter), which is then mixed with chicken/fish/pork/vegetable stock. Bechamel sauce, for example, is a velouté with milk.
This is a creamy soup that I like to call it a velouté on account of its velvety texture (it sounds rather chic too!).
Let’s get to it!
Ingredients (for 4 people)
• 500g of frozen peas
• 1 white onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 50g of butter
• 200ml of milk
• 200ml of cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Dice the onion. Perfection isn’t the objective here as it will end up in the blender. Peel the garlic and mash.
2. Place the butter in the pan and add the onion. Sauté a little. Add the garlic and the peas. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, then add the milk. Simmer for a further 3 minutes. Add salt and black pepper.
3. From the pan, add everything to the blender. Blend well, adding the cream gradually. Once it is fully blended, turn off and try. Season with salt or pepper. Personally, I never sieve the soup as I love the texture, but you can. That’s it! Grab yourself a bread roll and your dinner’s complete.
You can also use this versatile recipe with pumpkin, cassava, zucchini… Just be sure to cook the vegetables first.
Let your imagination run wild, and create your own unique recipes.
Get in touch via Instagram @lucianaberry and let me know your thoughts.
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