Soups

Lettuce Soup

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This soup is really called pea soup, but it has a head of lettuce in it, so we like to call it lettuce soup. Smooth, bright green, and delicious as a first course meal.

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Yield

6 Servings

Ingredients

1 1⁄2 cups leek
2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
2 cups stock
2 cups water
2 packages peas
4 cups lettuce
1⁄2 cup mint, fresh
  ounce black pepper, ground
1⁄4 heavy cream
1 1⁄2 cups bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
  ounce salt

Instructions

For Croutons: Put a rack in the middle fo the oven and preheat oven to 350. Drizzle cubed bread with olive oil and salt and place on baking tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until crisp. Set aside.

For Soup: Heat the butter in a large saucepan over moderately low heat. Wash and chop leeks and cook until softened, 6-7 minutes. Add stock and water and bring to a boil. Add peas and lettuce and simmer, partially covered, until peas are tender, 6-10 minutes. Stir in mint leaves.

Puree soup in batches until very smooth (for an extra smoothness, you can also press through a sieve.) Return to pan and season with salt and pepper. Reheat until moderately hot.

If using cream, beat until soft peaks form. Ladel soup into bowls and spoon in cream. Top with croutons.