I was looking forward to March to get everything caught up for a last clean sweep of winter. But no….it decided to be Spring a few weeks early. With temps in the 70s most days and a few climbing into the 80s we have a full blooming spring right now! Most of the trees are budding and many are blooming, like never before. That meant climbing around the hills to rake off all the winter muck and moldy leaves so the newbies didn’t get smothered on those hot days.
My favorite part of the midwest spring is the emergence of the herbs. They are still babies, but I can steal a few snips now and then to add spice to our meals. The sorrel I planted last fall is doing great and an inspiration for this soup. With the snippets still small, I’ve combined sorrel soup and potage St. Germain, a spring pea soup, to make this gorgeous soup that is light and flavorful with a combination of fresh herbs. All it needs is a dollop of salted whipped cream to add a bit of richness (and hold up the garnish!)
I had a wonderful day working with a new food photographer, Michelle. We made the soup and shot photos, made a shrimp salad (blog to follow soon) and shot photos. Learning from each other and ramping up the enthusiasm for both of us, it was a great learning experience all around!
Spring Green Soup
Serves 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
2 tablespoons butter
1 large leek, white and light green parts, chopped
1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup frozen green peas (or fresh if they are in season)
1 cup sorrel, coarsely chopped (can substitute spinach)
2 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley, thyme, chives, and tarragon)
1 lemon
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and red pepper to taste
Sprigs of fresh herbs to garnish
Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the leeks and sauté until softened. Add the potato and stock. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add the peas, sorrel, and herbs. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the sorrel is wilted. Puree with an immersion blender, or let cool for a few minutes and puree in a blender or food processor.
Cut 4 thin slices from the lemon and squeeze the remainder into the soup. Whip the cream with salt to taste. Garnish the soup with a dollop of cream, sprinkle of pepper, fresh herbs and lemon slice.
