Turkish Pea Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then put in the bits of bacon and the pepper.
• Sauté for just a few seconds, then add the onion, celery and carrots.
• Cook until the onion goes clear, then add the tomato sauce and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until the tomato sugars start to caramelise.
• Add the thyme, bay leaf and peas, plus salt and pepper to taste.
• Add 2-3 cups of water to cover the mixture.
• Stir, cover the pot and let it simmer over a low heat for about 20 minutes.
• Add another cup of water and let simmer, covered, for another 20 minutes.
• Keep checking on the pot and adding water a cup at a time until the peas are cooked and the soup is as thin or as thick as you like it.
• This takes about an hour, for me.
• Use a hand blender to blitz the soup slightly, but don't purée it.
• You still want some of the texture of the bacon and carrots.
• Remove the bay leaf and, if possible, let the soup sit for a few hours before serving to help the flavours develop.
• You may need to add some more water, salt and pepper when you re-heat it.
• If you like, you can crumble any extra bacon over the soup before serving, as well as a fresh grinding of pepper.

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the leeks and onion, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the onion is tender. Add the chicken stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the peas are tender. (Frozen peas will take only 3 minutes.) Off the heat, add the mint, salt, and pepper.
• *Puree the soup in batches: place 1 cup of soup in a blender, place the lid on top, and puree on low speed. With the blender still running, open the venthole in the lid and slowly add more soup until the blender is three-quarters full. Pour the soup into a large bowl and repeat until all the soup is pureed. Whisk in the creme fraiche and chives and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with garlic croutons.

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice, cover and cook over low heat until barely tender (about 15 minutes).
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer over moderately high heat. Add the chicken and simmer until cooked through (about 10 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate. Skim any fat from the surface of the stock.
• In a large saucepan, whisk together yogurt, egg yolk and flour. Whisk in stock and bring to a simmer over low heat, whisking occasionally. Stir in the chickpeas, rice and reserved chicken. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm over low heat.
• Melt butter in a small skillet. Add the garlic, paprika and cayenne and cook over medium heat until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in the garlic butter. Sprinkle with the mint and serve with lemon wedges.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion and the sliced leek. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Do not brown. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic smells fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Add the squash, allspice, cinnamon, stock or water, rice, honey or sugar, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes.
• Using a hand blender, or in batches in a regular blender, purée the soup. If using a regular blender fill only half way and cover the top with a towel pulled down tight, rather than airtight with the lid, because hot soup will jump and push the top off if the blender is closed airtight. Return to the pot and heat through, stirring. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Swirl a tablespoon or two of yogurt into each bowl and sprinkle with Aleppo pepper, Turkish red pepper or chili powder.

Steps:

• Place the beef into a container and cover with water. Soak overnight in the refrigerator to remove excess salt. Drain, rinse, and cut into small cubes before using.
• Bring the cubed beef, peas, and water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the peas have softened and mostly dissolved, about 30 minutes. Stir or whisk frequently to help the peas dissolve, and to keep the soup from burning on the bottom of the pot. Stir in the carrots, turnips, and black pepper, continue simmering until the vegetables have softened, about 15 minutes more.