This is an easy-to-make soup with a fresh and pure taste that can carry you from winter into spring and summer. You won’t need to spend more than 15 minutes, and you will be lauded as a gourmet cook supreme because this soup is as pretty as it is delicious.

Pea Soup with Minted Mascarpone

Pea Soup

2 cups chicken broth

½ cup milk

1 clove garlic

¼ teaspoon salt

5 cups (24 oz) frozen peas

¼ teaspoon white pepper

½ cup heavy cream

Minted Mascarpone

½ cup cream, cold 6 fresh mint leaves, minced

½ cup (4 ounces) Mascarpone, cold plus 6 whole mint leaves, for garnish

For the Pea Soup, pour the chicken broth into a medium saucepan. Add 1 clove of garlic. Bring the broth to a boil over medium heat and cook for several minutes. Remove the broth from heat, add the frozen peas and mix well. Allow the peas to thaw for a few minutes. Pour the peas and broth with the garlic clove into a blender, and puree until the soup is smooth. Alternatively, puree the peas in the saucepan using an immersion blender. Pour the broth back into the saucepan, add the cream and milk, and bring the soup to a simmer over low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the Minted Mascarpone, whip the cream using a whisk or electric mixer, and then stir in the Mascarpone. Just before serving, stir the minced mint into the Mascarpone.

To serve, ladle the soup into flat soup bowls. Garnish each with a dollop of Minted Mascarpone, with a mint leaf stuck into the Mascarpone. The soup can also be served chilled.

Serves 6

From Cheese, Glorious, Cheese! by Paula Lambert. Copyright 2007.