Green Pea Soup with Tarragon
Friday, April 10, 2009 at 2:01PM 
I came across this recipe in April’s Bon Appétit. Super easy to make and now it is a staple in our house for whenever we want the taste of green. Real people (Jess & Ben) recently from these places (Philadelphia, Utah, Idaho) said, “The soup is good.”
Don’t be afraid of the Tarragon. It tastes similar to anise or fennel, some might say licoricey – What? It tastes nothing like black Twizzlers. It can be overpowering in a dish but the right amount adds interest and complexity that makes it worth the risk. I am usually over cautious so my strategy is to put the amount I think should be in there and then I sneak behind my back and throw some more in when I’m not looking. Feel free to try other herbs, no herbs or adverbs – whatever you prefer!
Ingredients:
2 16-ounce packages of frozen petite peas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped shallots (or any other onion type you have lying around)
4 cups vegetable broth (we recommend)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon (it’s your friend)
Sour Cream or Plain Greek yogurtDirections:
Heat oil in a large heavy pot. Add shallots and sauté until tender and slightly browned. Keep about 1 cup of the frozen peas in a microwave-safe bowl and set aside. Pour the rest of the peas into the pot with the onions. Immediately add the broth and 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 7-10 minutes.
Let soup cool slightly. Working in small batches puree soup in a blender until smooth (you will need another pot or bowl to temporarily store blended batches until all the soup is pureed). Pour soup back into original pot. Add final tablespoon of tarragon (Remember Tarragon can be a very strong flavor, use with caution). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Heat remaining cup of peas in microwave or on stovetop in boiling water. Ladle soup into warmed bowels. Sprinkle whole peas into each bowl and top with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt (vegan without these last two).
Reader Comments (3)
[...] says:Fiddling with my blog post: Green Pea Soup with Tarragon ( http://www.spoonlicker.com/?p=42 [...]
This is my favorite soup ever. Thank you for your awesome post John Dreammuffin.
I saw a similar recipe in the paper now can't find it. Think i'll try this one. Thanks