English Pea and Mint Soup with Lemon Ricotta & Peashoots

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 300g Fresh Peas, podded and rinsed
  • 50g Frozen Peas, still frozen
  • 1/2 Shallot, small
  • Large knob of Butter, unsalted
  • 170ml, Vegetable Stock, Hot
  • 50ml Double Cream
  • 8tsp Ricotta
  • Lemon Zest, pinch
  • 1/4tsp Lemon Juice
  • Peashoots to garnish
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Salt and White Pepper

Optional:

  • Borage Flowers
  • Violas
  • Nasturtium Leaves

Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan and sweat the shallots until soft.

Add the fresh peas and enough stock to cover them in the pan and boil for a couple of minutes until the peas are tender.

Reserve 2 tbsp of peas and then place the remainder in a blender with the stock and blitz until smooth.

Add the frozen peas, double cream and if necessary a little more vegetable stock if the soup is too thick and blend again.

Season well, then strain through a sieve into a jug and chill.

In a small bowl mix the ricotta with the lemon juice, zest and a pinch of salt. reserve.

To serve

Place 3 small spoonfuls of lemon ricotta on the base of a shallow soup bowl. Top each with a sprinkle of paprika and a borage flower.

Pour the chilled soup around the ricotta and dress with peashoots and edible flowers.