Grönhöker's local arfen soup

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 500 g peas, frozen
• 100 g celeriac
• 3 m.-large shallot(s)
• 1 m.-sized potato(s)
• 1 clove(s) garlic
• 2 tbsp, heaped butter
• 1 liter vegetable broth
• 1 sprig(s) parsley, flat, with stems finely chopped
• 2 pinches of cayenne pepper
• 100 ml whipped cream
• ½ tsp mint, dried or fresh
• 2 spring onions, including the green part, cut into fine rolls for sprinkling
• 2 cups sour cream

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 35 minutes

Quick, colorful and vegetarian pea soup from Fiefhusen

The name of the recipe is of Low German origin and translates as “The greengrocer’s quick pea soup.” Peel the celery, shallots, garlic, and potatoes and cut them into very fine cubes. If you’re not so keen on using a knife, simply use a grater and grate the ingredients quite finely. That works too. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and reduce the heat to 1/2, without browning. Then add the cubes or grated butter and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. If a slight sediment forms, it’s fine and actually desirable (for flavor!). Now deglaze with the vegetable stock, increase the heat to high, and bring the contents of the pan to a rolling boil. Then reduce the heat to 1/3 and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Next, add 400g of the green peas, the cayenne pepper, the mint, and the parsley to the pan. Bring to a boil briefly and then simmer for another 5 minutes at lower heat. Stir occasionally. Now puree thoroughly with a hand blender until the soup is smooth and only tiny pieces remain. Now add the remaining whole peas and the cream. Stir occasionally and let everything cool for a few minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The whole peas are intended as an ingredient in the soup, giving it a special mouthfeel. Serve in warmed soup bowls, place a dollop of sour cream in the center of each bowl, and garnish with the spring onion slices. A touch of freshly ground black or mixed pepper on the sour cream adds the finishing touch. For the main course, we serve it with a fresh green salad (to stay with the color theme) and fresh flatbread or ciabatta with some good virgin olive oil. Good things can be simple. Variation: This recipe also works vegan. To make this, the butter is swapped for 3 tablespoons of rapeseed oil, and the cream and sour cream are replaced with vegan, soy-based products. However, I personally find the vegetarian version smoother and more aromatic.