Chilled Pea Soup Recipe

Chilled Pea Soup
 
 Recipe By     : Delicious Decisions/tpogue-at-idsonline.com
 Serving Size  : 6    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Cold                             Soup
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    4      pounds        peas -- fresh unshelled
    1      bunch         watercress
    3      tablespoons   butter -- unsalted
    1      small         onion -- chopped
    1                    white potatoes -- unpeeled and sliced
    1      tablespoon    basil -- fresh chopped
    2 1/2  cups          nonfat chicken broth
      1/4  cup           cream
    3      slices        bacon -- fried crisp,crumbled
                         salt and pepper -- to taste
                         sour cream and basil  -- garnish
 
 Shell peas and steam or parboil until tender. Douse immediately in cold water t
 o prevent overcooking, set aside to drain. (If frozen petite peas are substitut
 ed, cook two 10 ounce packages) Refrigerate all but one cup. Trim base of water
 cress stems and discard. Rinse bunch and pat dry.
 
 Melt butter in a large saucepan and saute onion until transparent. Add potato s
 lices, watercress, and basil. Pour in broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, 
 cover and cook until potatoes are tender about 10 minutes. Add peas. Remove fro
 m heat.
 
 In a food processor, puree this mixture in batches until smooth. Return puree t
 o saucepan and reheat slightly and season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill 
 thoroughly.
 
 To serve, add cream, thinning soup to desired consistency. Stir in reserved pea
 s. Pour soup into serving bowls and crumble bacon over each. Add a dollop of so
 ur cream and top with a basil leaf.
 
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 Per serving: 374 Calories; 12g Fat (27% calories from fat); 21g Protein; 51g Ca
 rbohydrate; 27mg Cholesterol; 279mg Sodium
 
 
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