Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Base
- 30 ml olive oil
- 50 g shallot, finely diced
- 500 ml vegetable broth
Vegetables and Herbs
- 400 g sweet peas, fresh or thawed frozen
- 150 g butter lettuce, core removed, roughly chopped
- 10 g fresh mint, leaves only
- 10 g fresh chives, roughly chopped
Seasoning and Garnish
- 5 g sea salt
- 2 g white pepper, ground
- 30 ml vegan cream
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 177 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 878 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 433 mg
- Calcium
- 56 mg
- Iron
- 2.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 45 mg
- Phosphorus
- 141 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 139 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 45 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 68 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.33 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.17 mg
- Niacin
- 2.4 mg
- Folate
- 99 mcg
- Water
- 256 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water and setting a smaller bowl inside it. This will be used to quickly cool the soup and lock in the vibrant green color.
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced shallot and cook gently until translucent and fragrant, taking care not to brown them.
Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a gentle simmer around 90C/195F.
Add the sweet peas and chopped butter lettuce to the simmering broth. Cook very briefly, just until the lettuce wilts and the peas are tender but still bright green.
Carefully transfer the hot soup to a high-speed blender. Add the fresh mint, fresh chives, sea salt, and white pepper. Blend on the highest speed until the mixture is completely smooth and velvety.
Pour the blended soup through a fine mesh sieve directly into the prepared bowl set over the ice bath. Use a ladle to press the liquid through, discarding any fibrous solids.
Stir the soup occasionally as it cools in the ice bath. Once it reaches room temperature, cover the bowl and transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely before serving.
Ladle the cold soup into chilled shallow bowls. Garnish with a few extra drops of olive oil, a drizzle of vegan cream, and small mint leaves.
Chef's Notes
- Rapid cooling is the secret to retaining a vivid emerald color. Chlorophyll breaks down quickly under sustained heat, so the ice bath step is non-negotiable for professional presentation.
- Using white pepper instead of black pepper provides an earthy, floral heat without leaving black specks in the pristine green soup.
- Butter lettuce adds a subtle, sweet earthiness and unparalleled silkiness to the puree without masking the delicate flavor of the peas.
- If you want an even richer mouthfeel, emulsify 30ml of high-quality extra virgin olive oil into the soup during the final 30 seconds of blending.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent oxidation and color loss.
Freezer: 1 month — Freezing may slightly alter the silky texture; re-blend after thawing before serving.
Troubleshooting
Soup is a dull olive or gray-green color
Cause: The peas and lettuce were overcooked, or the soup was cooled too slowly.
Fix: Cannot be fixed cosmetically, but the flavor will still be delicious.
Prevention: Cook vegetables for no more than 3 minutes and shock the soup in an ice bath immediately after blending.
Soup has a gritty or fibrous texture
Cause: Inadequate blending time or skipping the straining step.
Fix: Pass the chilled soup through a fine mesh sieve again before serving.
Prevention: Blend for a full 2 minutes in a high-speed blender and always pass through a fine mesh sieve.
Cultural Context
Originating from traditional French potage techniques, this chilled preparation adapts the classic Potage Saint-Germain for warm weather. The combination of sweet peas and delicate butter lettuce reflects the height of summer garden harvests, creating a refined appetizer that is both refreshing and deeply nourishing.
