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Sweet Pea & Spinach Soup`

A masterclass in vegetable architecture and mechanical pureeing. By sweating aromatics and deglazing with dry sherry, this highly vibrant, nutrient-dense soup slowly simmers sweet peas and fresh spinach in a savory chicken broth, mechanically emulsified into a thick, velvety bisque enriched with a touch of heavy cream.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Soup

Ingredients
  

The Aromatic Base
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium white onion peeled and finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • ½ cup dry sherry for deglazing
The Harvest Greens & Broth
  • 2 10-ounce packages frozen sweet peas, completely thawed
  • 2 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves about 2 lightly packed cups
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from ½ large lemon
  • 2 to 3 sprigs fresh dill
  • 3 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
The Emulsion & Finish
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • Sour cream for garnish
  • Fresh dill sprigs for garnish

Method
 

The Aromatic Sweat & Deglaze
  1. Heat the 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until melted and foaming.
  2. Add the finely diced white onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply soft and completely translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Pour in the ½ cup of dry sherry to aggressively deglaze the pot, scraping up any caramelized sugars from the onions. Cook vigorously until the sharp alcohol scent burns off and almost all of the liquid disappears into a thick syrup, about 4 minutes.
The Harvest Simmer
  1. Immediately stir the thawed sweet peas and fresh baby spinach directly into the hot onion and sherry reduction. Cook just until the spinach wilts slightly.
  2. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and drop the whole fresh dill sprigs into the pot.
  3. Pour in 3 cups of the chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
  4. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer the soup gently for 20 minutes. This critical thermal phase ensures the tough outer skins of the peas break down entirely, softening the vegetables for a flawless puree.
The Mechanical Emulsion
  1. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly to room temperature to prevent thermal expansion blowouts.
  2. Using a high-speed immersion blender directly in the pot (or working carefully in batches with a standard blender), aggressively puree the softened vegetables and broth until they transform into a completely smooth, velvety, bright green liquid.
The Lactic Enrichment
  1. Return the pureed soup to the pot over low heat. If the emulsion is too thick, stream in the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth to achieve your desired consistency.
  2. Vigorously stir in the kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and the ½ cup of heavy whipping cream. Do not allow the soup to boil once the cream is added, or the dairy may break and separate.
  3. Ladle the hot soup into shallow bowls and garnish heavily with a dollop of cold sour cream and a tiny sprig of fresh dill to provide a sharp thermal and visual contrast.