This bright spring soup is full of fresh flavours but has an underlying richness and a super-silky texture from the sauteed potato and chicken stock. This soup says spring in a warmer tone, recognising it's not quite beach weather yet.
1 litre quality chicken stock
500g sugar snap peas
80g butter
Extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 fresh bay leaf
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small brown onion, finely diced
2 leeks, finely sliced
2 large waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced very finely
Salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
200g fresh peas (podded weight)
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, picked and chopped
400g English spinach leaves
2 handfuls sorrel (optional)
Sour cream, to serve
Fresh horseradish (or jarred, unsweetened), to serve
Bring the stock to the boil with a litre of water. Add the sugar snap peas (whole) and cook for four minutes. Once cooked, remove the peas and puree them with enough liquid to loosen. Strain through a coarse sieve (to remove fibres) and put back into the stock.
In a large pot, melt the butter with a splash of oil. Add the fennel seeds, bay leaf, garlic, onion and leeks and cook for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Add the potatoes, season and cook for a further 15 minutes or until the potato slices are cooked and breaking up.
Add the stock mix and bring to a simmer. Add the fresh peas and cook for five minutes. Add the parsley, spinach and sorrel (if using) and cook for four to five minutes.
Blitz till smooth with a stick blender. Check and adjust the seasoning and serve with sour cream and freshly grated horseradish.
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