Green Pea Soup is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic soup of green peas and onions in a meat-based stock thickened with breadcrumbs and coloured green with lettuce and spinach. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Green Pea Soup.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
142. INGREDIENTS.—3 pints of green peas, 1/4 lb. of butter, 2 or three thin slices of ham, 6 onions sliced, 4 shredded lettuces, the crumb of 2 French rolls, 2 handfuls of spinach, 1 lump of sugar, 2 quarts of common stock.
Mode.—Put the butter, ham, 1 quart of the peas, onions, and lettuces, to a pint of stock, and simmer for an hour; then add the remainder of the stock, with the crumb of the French rolls, and boil for another hour. Now boil the spinach, and squeeze it very dry. Rub the soup through a sieve, and the spinach with it, to colour it. Have ready a pint of young peas boiled; add them to the soup, put in the sugar, give one boil, and serve. If necessary, add salt.
Time.—2-1/2 hours. Average cost, 1s. 9d. per quart.
Seasonable from June to the end of August.
Sufficient for 10 persons.
Note.—It will be well to add, if the peas are not quite young, a little sugar. Where economy is essential, water may be used instead of stock for this soup, boiling in it likewise the pea-shells; but use a double quantity of vegetables.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
650g green (garden) peas (young ones are best)
115g butter
3 thin slices of ham, diced
6 onions, sliced
4 lettuce, shredded
200g breadcrumbs (made from French rolls, if possible)
200g spinach
1/2 tsp sugar
2l economical stock
salt, to taste
Method:
Melt the butter in a pan, add the ham and 350g of the peas, along with the lettuce, onions and 600ml of the stock. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 60 minutes then add the remainder of the stock along with the breadcrumbs.
Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes more.
In the meantime, add the spinach to a pan of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Strain the wilted leaves then squeeze them very dry in a cloth. Either purée the resultant mixture or rub through a fine-meshed sieve then set aside. Bring another pan of water to a boil and add the remaining 300g of young peas. Return to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain the peas and add to the soup, along with the spinach puree.
Stir in the sugar, season to taste then bring to a boil, immediately take off the heat and serve.
