Pea, Mint and Arugula Soup

If you know one thing about me, let’s face it – it’s that I make too much soup. If you know two things about me, the second is probably that I have a nearly unnatural affinity for peas.

Regular ol’ green peas. Fresh peas, frozen peas, I don’t care: Just gimme. Put some olive oil on ‘em, salt ‘em up and fill a bowl to the brim and you’ve got my favorite by-myself-in-front-of-the-TV dinner. So it takes a lot for me to make peas into a soup – I love the way they pop between your teeth when you bite down on one at a time (yeah, there’s plenty wrong with me, why do you ask?), and turning them into a smooth concoction takes that pleasure point away.

But when you’re replacing that pleasure with the pleasures of mint and arugula? I say the cost-benefit-analysis is landing solidly in this soup’s favor.

I almost typed “flavor” instead of “favor.” That’s how good it was. The arugula adds that nice peppery bite (plus some good nutrients I suppose), and pea + mint is a classic combo for a reason. Pea + mint is my pepperoni + pizza.

This soup takes the essence of peas and punches it up in highly complementary ways while not reducing the essential pea-ness of it. Oh no. I just typed that, read it back in my head, realized what it sounded like, and giggled like a seventh grader. Now I can’t delete it even though I assume my mother will be forever disappointed in me (sorry, mom, PEAS forgive me).

MOVING ON.

This soup has such fresh taste, and I gobbled it up and licked the bowl when I served it (to myself) hot last night topped with some nice salty feta and a drizzle of olive oil. I had a thought too late that I should have put a few whole peas on top as a garnish, too. But inspiration doesn’t always strike all at once, so I’ll have to test out that (clearly brilliant) idea in March.

This morning I had it cold for breakfast, and wow, does it taste even MORE fresh that way. If you wanted to get real fancy-like, you could serve it chilled (that’s fancytalk for “cold”) and strained through a fine mesh strainer to achieve a more elegant texture. I just had it straight out a plastic storage container like the woman of the pea-ple that I am.

GROAN.

But seriously, I’ve said it before (on Instagram, @corrieloeffler) and I’ll say it again: I’d drink a gallon of this soup. I’d take this over a smoothie most days, and it doesn’t take that much longer to make. Because I didn’t use a recipe, this thing is crazy simple (unlike me, as I’m obviously very complicated and mysterious). As an aside: totally recommend just going in your kitchen and MAKING something, anything, without a recipe. When it works, it’s extra satisfying.

Final verdict: Do you like peas? Okay, cool, you’ll like this.

Pea, Mint and Arugula Soup

Serves two generously

Ingredes:

Extra virgin olive oil

1/2  of a yellow onion, diced

1 10 oz. bag of frozen sweet peas

2 cups no-chicken broth (it sounds weird but it’s really good, I swear) or vegetable broth

3 to 4 cups arugula

1 tablespoon mint, plus a few leaves for garnish

1 tablespoon crumbled feta

Method:

In small pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the diced onion with a pinch of salt. Saute for about 5 minutes, until soft but not browning. Add peas and broth and simmer another 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and add arugula and mint. Blend until smooth (strain through fine mesh strainer if desired) and serve topped with feta, mint leaves, a drizzle of olive oil and some freshly cracked black pepper.