Croutons For Lettuce And Pea Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Remove dark-green outer leaves of romaine lettuce, and coarsely chop (to yield 8 cups). Reserve remaining lettuce for another use.
• In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add lettuce; stir until just wilted, about 2 minutes.
• Add chicken broth and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Add peas, and simmer until bright green, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir in mint. Season again with salt and pepper. Using an immersion or regular blender (work in batches), puree soup until smooth. If necessary, reheat soup over medium-low heat. Serve garnished with croutons.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice half a baguette (1/4 pound) into 3/4-inch cubes (about 4 cups). Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with melted butter; season with salt. Toss well to coat; spread in an even layer.
• Bake until golden brown, tossing halfway through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Spread the pancetta over the base of a medium soup pan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, rendering the fat, until browned on the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate. Pour off all but a thin coating of fat. Return to medium heat, and add the garlic and leek. Cook until soft on the edges. Add the peas, broth and 2 cups of water. Season with salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the peas are just tender, about 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the chives and tarragon. Let steep for 5 minutes. Ladle the soup in small batches into a blender and purée until smooth (because it is hot, turn the blender on low and hold the lid on tight). Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a little lemon juice to sharpen the flavor. Meanwhile, break the bread into small croutons and toss in a bowl with olive oil, just to coat. Ladle soup into bowls and top each bowl with a little pancetta and a few croutons.

Steps:

• Separate dark green outer leaves of romaine from pale green inner leaves and coarsely chop enough dark green leaves to measure 6 cups loosely packed. (Reserve heart for another use.)
• Cook onion in butter in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add lettuce and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add peas, broth, water, salt, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
• Purée soup in 2 batches in a blender with dill and cream (use caution when blending hot liquids).

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the fennel and onion and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the chicken stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 3 minutes, until the peas are tender. Off the heat, add the salt and pepper.
• Puree the soup in batches with a food processor fitted with a steel blade or with a stick blender. Pour the soup into a large bowl and repeat until all the soup is coarsely pureed. Whisk in the creme fraiche and taste for seasoning. Reheat the soup in the saucepan and serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil and some croutons on top.
• Heat the olive oil in a large (10-inch) saute pan until hot. Add the bread and cook over medium heat, tossing frequently, until the bread is evenly toasted and browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Yield: 2 cups

Steps:

• In a saucepan cook onion in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in romaine and cook, stirring, until wilted. Stir in 1 1/2 cups broth, peas, sugar, marjoram, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer soup 10 minutes.
• In a blender purée soup in batches until smooth, adding additional broth to thin to desired consistency. If serving soup hot, return it to pan whisk in sour cream. Heat soup, stirring, until just heated through, but do not let it boil. If serving soup cold, transfer it to a bowl and whisk in sour cream. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and chill soup, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes, or until cool.