Hot Pea and Bacon Soup with Gorganzola Toasts Verrine
Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
75g (3oz) smoked bacon, rind removed and chopped
½ small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ stick celery, chopped
175g (6oz) frozen or fresh peas
300ml (½ pt) good vegetable stock
50g (2oz) watercress, stalks removed and roughly chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 readymade small round croutons
50g (2oz) gorgonzola, crumbled
double cream, to serve
pea shoots to garnish
75g (3oz) smoked bacon, rind removed and chopped
½ small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ stick celery, chopped
175g (6oz) frozen or fresh peas
300ml (½ pt) good vegetable stock
50g (2oz) watercress, stalks removed and roughly chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 readymade small round croutons
50g (2oz) gorgonzola, crumbled
double cream, to serve
pea shoots to garnish
Method
1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the bacon for about 5 minutes, stirring until crispy. Remove half of the bacon and set aside. Add the onion, garlic and celery to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.
2. Add the peas and stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until peas are tender. Stir in the watercress, pour into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to the pan and season to taste.
3. Preheat a grill and place the croutons on a baking sheet. Scatter over cheese and cook under the grill for about 2-3 minutes, until cheese is just melted. Remove from the heat.
4. Pour the soup into the verrines. Spoon over a swirl of cream and top with the croutons and scatter over the reserved bacon. Garnish with pea shoots.
