Two Soups From Alain Ducasse: Chilled Cream of Pea Soup/ Tomato and Bread 🌞

Chilled Cream of Pea Soup

Serves 4

» Shell 600 g (21oz) of fresh peas. Select half the pods, choosing the
smallest. De-string them like green beans, then wash and chop them.

.. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan, and sweat the
chopped pea pods for around 5 minutes.

.. Add the peas, a teaspoon of sugar and salt lightly. Cook for a
further 3 minutes and add 1 litre (1qt 2oz)of chicken stock
Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

. Add 250 ml (1 cup) of light cream, then simmer for a further 10 minutes.

. Prepare ice cubes in a basin and put a large bowl on top.

.. Blend the soup into a perfectly uniform and smooth cream.

Pour it quickly into the iced bowl {to keep the colour]
Taste and adjust the seasoning.

. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill thoroughly. Put your
tureen or serving dish in the fridge too.

.. When serving, pour the soup into this chilled tureen, sprinkle
with 4 thinly sliced mint leaves and 2 tablespoons of grated pecorino
or parmesan


Alain Ducasse—
if you can get hold of fresh
pecorino or parmesan, crumble
the cheese with a fork Add a few
fresh thyme flowers if they're in
season. To save time, put the soup
in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes

PN— The fibre content of this
soup is enhanced by the pea pods.
Serve this cream soup with
slices of toast, then you will
have more slow carbohydrates,
which is always a good thing!

From "Nature" by Alain Ducasse
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47499810-ducasse-nature


*****************************************************************************



Tomato and Bread Soup

Serves 4

Prepare the tomatoes

.. Blanch 16 beefsteak tomatoes and 2 San Marzano tomatoes.

.. Empty their insides into a small bowl. Filter the juice and set
aside.

..Chop the flesh of the beefsteak tomatoes into large cubes and the
San Marzano into small dice. Refrigerate in a small bowl.

Make the soup

.. Cut 400 g (14oz) of stale wholemeal bread into large dice and place in
a bowl.

.. Pour on the reserved tomato juice, 2 tablespoons of red wine
vinegar and leave to swell.

.. Preheat your oven to 160 °C (gas mark 3).(310° F)

.. Peel and mince 2 white onions and 4 garlic cloves. Detach around
ten leaves from 2 sprigs of basil, and set aside.

.. In a flameproof casserole dish with a splash of olive oil, sweat
the onions over a low heat for S minutes without letting them
colour. Add the garlic, stir for 30 seconds, then add the beefsteak
tomatoes and a pinch of salt.

.. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

.. Add the bread and the rest of the basil, and mix well. Cover the
casserolé dish with a lid and put in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
When the soup is cooked, take the stalks off the basil and crush
the ingredients with a fork. Check the seasoning and add a
littie water if the soup is too thick. Allow to cool then put in
a cold place.

To serve

Pour the cold soup into soup plates or a tureen.
Sprinkle the diced San Marzano tomatoes on top, decorate
with 50 g (2oz)of **Pesto and sprinkle with the reserved
basil leaves.

AD— San Marzano tomatoes
are a very old variety. They are
long, quite plump, fleshy and firm.
They are not easy to find but they
are well worth hunting down.
Or look for another tasty variety.

PN— This soup is particularly
rich in carbohydrates and fibre
thanks to the wholemeal bread.
tt io aloo bursting with antioxidants.
You can eat it hot in winter,
when you can make it with crushed
tinned tomatoes or frozen tomatoes.

From "Nature" by Alain Ducasse
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47499810-ducasse-nature


**Light Pesto


. Serves 4

. Peel 4 garlic cloves and cut them in half. Remove any small
sprouts in the centre

..Immerse 3 of them in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain in
a colander and refresh under the tap

.. Remove the leaves from 2 bunches of basil. Grate 20 g (1oz)of fresh parmesan

.. If you have a mortar, crush the cooked garlic cloves, the raw
garlic clove, the parmesan, 30 q (1oz) of pine kernels and the basil
until the mixture is quite thick and pasty, then gradually pour
in 6 tablespoons of water and 6 tablespoons of olive oil stirring
as you go.

.. Otherwise, crush them all together in a blender.

.. Adjust the seasoning by adding solt and freshly-ground black
pepper and keep in the fridge as this light pesto should be
served cold.


AD— If you have some garlic confit,
use this: take 6 cloves
of garlic confit and 1 fresh clove
of garlic. The word "pesto” derives
from the Italian “pestare’, to crush
or grind, because of its traditional
method of preparation in a
mortar before the existence
of food processors

PN— Basil is extremely rich in
antioxidant carotenoids and mineral
salts, and garlic is a true medicine
Antimicrobial, anti-allergy and
antioxidant, garlic strengthens the
immune system. So use this light
pesto without restraint!

From "Nature" by Alain Ducasse
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47499810-ducasse-nature

Naturally Dee-licious! Thanks Alain!