Chino Farm English pea soup

Ingredients

4 tbsp. butter
1 cup chopped onion
6 cups freshly shelled peas
1/2 cup flour
2 quarts vegetable stock
1/2 cup cream
2 handfuls fresh mint leaves
4 slices applewood smoked bacon

Directions

Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Stir in onion and 5 cups of the peas and sauté until fragrant.

Meanwhile, boil the remaining 1 cup peas in salted water until soft, then drain and reserve.

Sprinkle flour over peas in soup pot and mix well. Add one-third of the cold vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Stir in remaining stock and cream. Boil soup for 5 more minutes or until peas are soft. Blend soup in a kitchen blender, starting on low speed and finishing on high speed. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cut mint leaves into fine strips and mix into soup with reserved peas.

Cut bacon into small pieces and heat in a frying pan until crispy. Drain fat.

Serve soup in warm soup bowls and decorate with swirls of lightly whipped cream, if you wish. Sprinkle crispy bacon on top.

Serves 6 to 8