Chilled Leek and Pea Soup — A Refreshing Bowl of Summer Flavor
I used to have an aversion to cold soups. Then, many years ago while living in Texas, a friend served me gazpacho. It was right in the middle of a hot weekend, and the cold soup really hit the spot with its blast of chilled flavors.
Later, when we lived in Baltimore, at a dinner in which we had invited our next-door neighbors, she insisted on bringing a chilled cucumber soup. It tasted fantastic and reminded me slightly of a thin version of green goddess (cucumber) salad dressing, which I had the first time at the now-defunct Celebration restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas.
I don’t know if it’s global warming or what, but while it seems it’s been quite warm in the rest of the country, it’s been an unusually wet and cool spring here. But that unseasonably cool weather has extended the growing season for several cool-weather vegetables. While at the farmers market today, I noticed beautiful leeks and French sorrel, so I decided to buy some to make a cold soup for dinner. Call it wishful thinking and an offering to the universe for the temperature in Oregon to finally warm up.
I’ve always loved French sorrel and its slightly sour flavor. When we lived in Texas, I had a shady spot in my kitchen herb garden where I always had some French sorrel and upland cress growing to clip and toss into salads or use in soups.
The base of the soup is leeks, with an added medium-sized potato to make it creamy instead of using milk or cream, and chicken stock. To give the soup a nice color and also make it naturally sweeter, I decided to add some peas.
This soup is easy to prepare and it’s perfect to make a day before if you’re thinking of a picnic or an outdoor brunch.
Chilled Leek and Pea Soup
- 3 medium-sized leeks, rinsed, and the white and light green portions finely chopped
- 1 medium-sized Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 cup (240 ml.) frozen peas
- 1 14-ounce (415 ml.) can chicken stock (substitute vegetable broth if you wish to make the dish vegetarian)
- 2 cups (480 ml.) water
- 1 cup (240 ml.) light sour cream
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced into discs for garnishing
- 1 cup (240 ml.) thinly sliced French sorrel, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml.) olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté leeks until they start to turn translucent.
- Add salt, pepper, water and chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Add potato and lower heat to simmer, cooking until potato is soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add fresh or frozen peas and cook for 3 more minutes.
- Turn off heat and let cool slightly.
- Blend in a blender in two batches. (Note: Be careful not to fill blender more than halfway. Hot liquids have a tendency to create a lot of pressure in a blender. Make sure you hold the lid down with a dish towel to prevent its flying off.
- Pour the purée in a large bowl and, using a large wire whisk, blend in the sour cream completely.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- To serve, ladle into soup bowls and garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs and French sorrel.
Enjoy! And Happy Summer!!
— Vic
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About the Author (Author Profile)
Victor Panichkul is a journalist and writer by training; a cook, wine lover and photographer by passion; and a lover of the outdoors since moving to Oregon more than 10 years ago. He is a native of Bangkok, Thailand.
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Love this soup, I’m so glad to surf my web blogger friends for summer cool recipes! It is so hot in Miami, I can’t think! Therefore I leave the thinking to someone else and will steal your recipe for tonight.
Beautiful soup
Thanks for visiting and enjoy! Hope the soup cools you down a little!