Green pea & almond soup

Ingredients

For 2 portions

• Onion1 onion (150 g)
• Olive oil20 ml
• Garlic2 cloves (10 g)
• Vegetable stock600 ml
• Courgette200 g
• Fresh thyme3 g
• Broccoli300 g
• Frozen peas120 g
• Spinach80 g
• Lemon juice15 ml
• Sea salt3 g
• Black pepper1 g
• Toasted almonds20 g
• Flat-leaf parsley10 g
• Fresh basil10 g

Method

1. 1

   Prepare your ingredients: onion — peel and dice; garlic — peel and crush or finely slice; vegetable stock — make up from a stock cube or pot, or use homemade; courgette — chop into chunks; fresh thyme — strip leaves from 4–5 sprigs; broccoli — cut into small florets; peel and slice the stalk; frozen peas — use straight from frozen; spinach — wash; no chopping needed for baby spinach; lemon juice — juice of ½ lemon; toasted almonds — roughly chop and toast; flat-leaf parsley — roughly chop; fresh basil — tear leaves.

2. 2

   Warm the olive oil in a large pan over a medium-low heat and soften the onion with a pinch of salt for 8–10 minutes, without colouring.

3. 3

   Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

4. 4

   Add the courgette and fresh thyme, then pour in 600 ml hot stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 15 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the broccoli and spinach for the final 6 minutes.

6. 6

   Take off the heat and cool for a few minutes. Blend until completely smooth, working in batches if needed and holding the blender lid down with a tea towel.

7. 7

   Return to the pan, add the frozen peas and simmer for 3 minutes until tender.

8. 8

   Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice.

9. 9

   Taste and adjust with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

10. 10

    Ladle into warm bowls and finish with the toasted almonds, flat-leaf parsley and fresh basil and a little olive oil.