Savory English Pea with Prosciutto Soup
Domesticated English peas or Pisum sativum were first harvest in the Near East around 11,000 years ago.* However, my fun fact about peas concerns Madame de Maintenon, a member of French nobility, who secretly married King Louis XIV back in 1683. Madame de Maintenon was rumored to say that guests who dined at the Royal Table and had already stuffed themselves, would still scarf down peas by the bushels full before heading to bed. She said, it was both a fashion and a madness.** I for one could see where they got this craze from, as fresh peas picked from the vine and steamed are second to none. Here, I take peas from the pod and purée them with caramelized shallots and prosciutto, a touch of cream and a healthy dose of chicken broth. Most recipes on the Internet add crispy prosciutto as a garnish to this soup, but I like to purée the prosciutto to infuse the soup with its smoky flavor. Not only is this soup delicious, but it is rich in Vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium and will delight your fussiest vegetable easter!
Ingredients
- 2 cups shelled, fresh English or garden peas, not snow peas.
- 3 oz. prosciutto
- ¾ cup diced shallots
- 2 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 T. + 2 t. minced garlic
- 3 T. unsalted butter
- 3-4 bay leaves
- ¾ t. sea salt, add a little at a time
Directions
- Step 1 Begin by shelling your peas or splitting open the pods and removing your peas from their pods. Then, reserve the shelled peas in a medium mixing bowl and compost the empty shells. Next, bring 2 ½ cups of chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan and add the English peas and bay leaves. Boil for 6-8 minutes or until the peas are tender and let cool for at least 15 minutes if you have a plastic blender. Just be sure to discard the bay leaves.
- Step 2 While your peas are boiling, remove the outer skin from 3 medium shallots and dice ¾ cup of shallots. Then, set the shallots aside in its own mixing bowl. After dicing the shallots, check to see if your peas are done cooking. If they are, remove from heat and let them cool. If they aren’t, remove the skin from 3 large garlic cloves and mince 1 T. + 2 t. of garlic. Set aside in its own mixing bowl. Now, by this time, your peas should be done, so turn off the heat and let the peas cool. Last, finish this step by chopping the prosciutto in small bites and reserve in a separate mixing bowl.
- Step 3 Now, heat a 10” nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and after 1-2 minutes, add 2 T. of butter. After the butter melts, add the shallots and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, so the shallots don’t stick. At the 5-minute mark, add the garlic for 2 minutes. Then, add 1 T. more butter if the shallots are sticking and toss in the prosciutto at the 7-minute mark. Sauté for 3-4 minutes more or until the prosciutto and shallots begin to turn golden brown. Set aside.
- Step 4 Next, add the peas, 1 3/4 cup of broth, potato, shallots, prosciutto, and garlic to the basin of a blender and blend until everything is puréed. Finally, reheat the soup in a medium sauce pan and add the cream, however, be heedful to not bring the soup to a boil or the cream will curdle. Season with salt, but note the prosciutto is naturally salty, so you won’t need much salt—try starting off with ¼-½ t. and add more if needed. Lastly, thin the soup with more broth if the soup is too thick for your liking. And note: this soup may thicken with time in the fridge, but first try reheating the soup on the stovetop, as it will thin out. But if it’s still too thick, add more broth and perhaps, more salt. Enjoy!
This savory English pea soup is a cousin to split pea soup, only you don’t have to mess with a bulky ham hock and lengthy cooking times—what a bonus! In its stead, caramelized shallots, crispy prosciutto, and buttery garlic take the place of ham off the bone and a French mirepoix. Tell us which one you prefer!
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: serving size: 1 cup, servings per recipe: 3, calories: 325, total fat: 16.1 g., saturated fat: 8.9 g., cholesterol: 56 mg., sodium: 978 mg., total carbohydrate: 27.8 g., dietary fiber: 5.3 g., total sugars: 5.7 g, protein: 18.9 g., calcium: 71 mg., iron: 3 mg., potassium: 437 mg., vitamin D: 8 mcg.
SOURCES:
*Hirst, Kris. “Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Domestication – The History of Peas and Humans,” ThoughtCo, last update on 28 April 2019.
** “Garden Peas and Spinach from the Middle East,” Aggie Horticulture Texas A&M, last accessed 30 May 2022.