Frozen peas are one of those foods that I always have on hand. They’re quick and easy to prepare, and can slip into almost any dish to add a pop of color. And, unless you’ve got access to just-picked English peas, they’re sweeter and more tender than fresh peas. But, until recently, I rarely used frozen peas as the star ingredient of a meal.
That’s changed now that I’ve figured out how to make the most of their ice-cold nature: chilled soup. If you let the peas sit in the fridge for several hours (transfer them from the freezer the morning you’re planning to prepare the dish), they’ll thaw just enough to blend into a creamy soup while still staying cool and crisp.
For this recipe, I’ve taken inspiration from a wintertime classic — split pea soup — and turned it into a refreshing, no-cook summertime dish that comes together in less than 10 minutes. Low-sodium vegetable broth thins and smooths out the soup while adding complexity and depth of flavor. You could use chicken broth if you’d prefer, but I don’t recommend using water because it will result in a one-dimensional soup. I also add garlic powder for a hint of umami and sour cream for richness; blended soups need a bit of fat to actually taste like soup instead of a vegetable smoothie.
Once blended, you can serve right away or refrigerate for up to a day. Add the diced ham, a dollop of additional sour cream, and plenty of black pepper when plating. Without the ham and pepper, the soup will be tasty, but it won’t taste quite like split pea soup.
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