The Mediadrome - Recipes - Herbed Pea Soup with Crsipy Pancetta

Herbed Pea Soup
with Crispy Pancetta

Serves 4 as a first course

2 slices of Pancetta Bacon, cut into thin strips (substitute smoked bacon)

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Fry the pancetta strips in the skillet until brown and crispy, about five minutes. Drain the pancetta strips on paper towels.

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1 tbsp. olive oil		¼ cup finely chopped shallots
2 cups fresh English shell peas (substitute frozen petite green peas)		1 ½ cups chicken stock
2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano		2 tbsp. fresh marjoram
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste		½ cup sour cream
1 tbsp. milk		Fresh oregano and marjoram sprigs for garnish
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In a heavy stockpot heat the olive oil. Add the shallots and sauté until soft, about three minutes.

Add the peas to the saucepot and stir. Add the chicken stock, oregano, marjoram and salt and pepper to taste.

Stir and cook the mixture over medium heat until the peas are tender, about 10 minutes.

Pour the pea soup into a blender and puree. Pour it back into the stockpot. Cover the pot and keep the soup warm over low heat until service.

Place the sour cream into a small bowl. Whisk the milk into the sour cream to dilute the sour cream so that it is runny enough to drizzle over the top of the pea soup.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Using a spoon, drizzle some of the sour cream over the top of the soup. Garnish each bowl of soup with some of the crispy pancetta and a sprig of fresh oregano and a sprig of fresh marjoram.