“Peas & Carrots” Spring Pea Vichyssoise & Chilled Carrot Soup
Recipe courtesy of Kaui Stryhn, Executive Chef, The Commonwealth Club, Richmond, Va.
Ingredients
- For Spring Pea Vichyssoise (makes one gallon)
- butter - 4 ozs.
- leeks - 1 lb., sliced
- onions - 1 lb., sliced
- garlic cloves - 4, chopped
- potatoes - 4 lbs., peeled/diced
- chicken stock - 3 qts.
- salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
- spring pea puree - 1 qt. (reserve some whole peas for garnish)
- half and half - 8 to 12 ozs.
- For Chilled Carrot Soup
- carrots - 5 lbs., peeled and coined
- onions - 2 large each, peeled, large dice
- ribs celery - 6 each, diced
- ginger - 2 pzs., peeled and chopped
- water - 1/2 gal.
- canola oil - 2 ozs.
- honey - 2 ozs.
- salt - to taste
- cayenne pepper - to taste
Instructions
For Spring Pea Vichyssoise:
- Sweat onions, leeks and garlic in the butter until translucent.
- Add potatoes and stock and bring to simmer; cook until potatoes are completely tender.
- Puree, season, and chill completely.
- Cook fresh peas in boiling salted water for a minute or so; immediately shock in ice bath, and puree in blender; reserve.
- To finish soup, add spring pea puree and enough half-and-half to give a creamy texture. Adjust seasoning, and strain through chinois.
For Chilled Carrot Soup:
- Sweat ginger, celery, onion, and 3 lbs. of the carrots for 5 minutes.
- Cover with water and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Strain carrot stock, reserve liquid, and puree vegetables.
- Blanch remaining 2 lbs. of carrots in boiling, salted water, and puree while hot.
- To finish soup, add both purees together, then add reserved carrot stock until desired consistency is reached.
- Season with salt, cayenne pepper and honey.
- Strain through chinois, and chill immediately.
For Garnish:
- Thinly slice ham, sprinkle with brown sugar, and crisp.
- Small-dice brioche, toss with melted whole butter, salt and pepper, and toast in the oven.
- Micro-carrot garnish.
- Whole blanched peas.
- Blanched carrot “pea sized” parisennes.
For plate-up:
- Use large martini glass (as shown above) or bowl/cup.
- Put each soup in a water pitcher with a spout. Be sure both soups are the same consistency.
- Pour both soups into the glass at the exact same time, slowly and steadily, and they will stay separated.
- Garnish the pea side with the carrots. Garnish the carrot side with the peas.
- Sprinkle the croutons on top, along with the ham and the micro-carrot.
