Serves 2 - 3
Pea pod soup is supremely satisfying to make: a consummate act of good housewifery to use what's usually consigned to the compost, and to make something delicious with it. We all eat mangetout and sugar snap peas, and as children many of us ate pea pods scrumped from the vegetable patch, peeling out the tough inner membrane before nibbling the sweet crisp outer pod. So it's good sense to squeeze out every bit of goodness and flavour from the peas with this thrifty soup.
450 g (1 lb) peas in the pod
2 - 3 outer lettuce leaves
600 ml (1 pint) water or light chicken stock
1 tsp sugar
salt
yoghurt and croutons to serve
1. Shell the peas and use all but a cupful in another recipe.
2. Wash the pods and snip off the stalks.
3. Boil, together with the lettuce leaves, in the water or stock until the pods are soft.
4. Puree in a liquidizer and sieve.
5. Season with sugar and salt.
6. Cook the reserved peas and add to the soup.
7. Serve with yoghurt and croutons.
