Pureed Pea Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms
The base of this soup is made from our Vegetable Soup Seasoning, a blend that incorporates the bright flavors of herbs, like savory and thyme, with the earthy flavor of turmeric. This blend is versatile and can go beyond the boundaries of a soup base; try sprinkling this over pasta, or adding it to a breading for chicken.
Pay attention to the peas when making this recipe. They should be blanched, but just for a minute. Boiling them will tear their delicate skins to pieces. You want them to break down in the blender but still retain some pizzaz. Right after blanching the peas should be shocked; cooling them in icy water will, again, maintain texture, and it will also preserve the bright green color that gives this soup so much visual appeal.
Serve this with a spring mix salad to keep your eyes on brighter days ahead, or go for the full-carb comforts of winter and dig into that hot bowl of soup with a crusty roll with a some butter. Either way, you get a great meal that’s healthy and filling and ready in about a half an hour. Enjoy!
- 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Soup Seasoning
- 3 cups warm water
- 3-10oz bags frozen peas
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons Fine Sea Salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Ground White Pepper plus more to taste
- 1 ounce fresh mint
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1 teaspoon California Granulated Garlic
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
1. Combine Vegetable Soup Seasoning and warm water and whisk to combine.
2. Blanch peas in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Strain peas, and shock them in ice water.
3. Drain peas and put in a blender with 3 Tablespoons olive oil, Fine Sea Salt, Ground White Pepper, and fresh mint. Pulse a few times to combine then gradually add vegetable broth to the blender until smoothly pureed. Return pea soup to stove top and heat on medium-low (do not boil).
4. Combine mushrooms, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste, and the remaining olive oil.
5. Pre-heat sauté pan on medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 8 to 10 minutes without stirring them, until the mushrooms release some of their moisture and begin to brown.
6. Serve with mushrooms on top of the pea soup.
