Photo: Spanish Pea Soup with Crispy Ham Recipe
Ingredients
- Good olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped shallots (2 large shallots)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 2 pounds frozen peas, such as Bird's Eye Sweet Garden
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 thin slices Spanish Serrano ham or Italian prosciutto
Directions
In a deep (8 x 5-inch) heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the chicken stock, frozen peas, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender until coarsely pureed. (I like it to have some texture.) Alternatively, use a blender to puree the soup 1 cup at a time. Pour the soup back into the pot and season to taste. Depending on the saltiness of the stock, I may add up to another teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to give the soup a very bright flavor.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the ham in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast for 5 to 8 minutes, until crisp.
Reheat the soup and serve in shallow bowls with a slice of crispy ham on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve hot.
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By Jaywill
Dallas
on June 12, 2013
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Tried this recipe a couple of times it was quite tasty, but wasn't amazing. The flavor wasn't quite "complex" enough, and I felt that it lacked a certain depth. HOWEVER...there was a perfect solution...adding a teaspoon or two of SMOKED PAPRIKA! (Most smoked paprika is from Spain, so how appropriate is that! This one ingredient tied together the freshness of the peas with the smoky crisp prosciutto garnish. Excellent soup served with a toasty crusty whole wheat boule or even ciabatta to soak up what you can't get with the spoon. By adding the smoked paprika it became a truly addictive soup!
By Susan Benedetto
on April 16, 2013
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While I want to love this soup, I found it so peppery that I had a hard time finishing it. Has anyone else noticed that this recipe calls for too much pepper? Please respond as I love Ina's recipes but just can't figure out why it tasted like I was having a shaker of pepper with my soup. Thanks in advance for the feedback.
By tbard4_11507397
Salem Township, MI
on March 08, 2013
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WOW! Made this for the first time tonight as part of a Spanish dinner night and it was fabulous! So delicious! My whole family loved it and I think I even liked it better than my usual pea soup I make with dried peas and it sure is easier and faster to make! The crisp prosciutto was wonderful with it and looked pretty as a garnish on the side of the bowl! I used Cascadia Farms frozen peas because I find the to taste the best. I will definitely make this again and again!
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