Fennel And Green Pea Soup

with wasabi-flavored whipped cream and sautéed shrimp

Posted by Roost Books

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You Will Need (19 things)

  • 1 large Fennel bulb (250 g; 8 3?4 oz), greens and core discarded, sliced
  • 1 Leek , white part only, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1?2 teaspoon Fennel Seed , finely crushed
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Shallots , finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon (14 g; 1?2 oz) unsalted Butter
  • 4 cups (945 ml) good-quality organic chicken Stock
  • Sea Salt and pepper
  • Dash of sichuan Pepper (ground in a pepper mill)
  • 3 cups (390 g; 14 oz) fresh or frozen Peas
  • 1?4 cup (60 ml) cold Heavy Cream
  • 1?4 teaspoon Wasabi paste
  • Dash of Sea Salt
  • 1 tablespoon chopped Chervil
  • 1 tablespoon Safflower Oil
  • 1 Garlic clove, minced
  • Dash of ground Cumin
  • 12 large Shrimp , peeled and deveined
  • Sea Salt and pepper

Steps (5 steps, 40 minutes)

  1. 1

    To prepare the soup: In a heavy pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then add the shallot, fennel seeds, and leek and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, without browning, until the aromas start to come out. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more min- ute. Add the fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until the fennel softens. Pour in the chicken stock, season with sea salt and the Sichuan pepper, and simmer until the vegetables are fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the peas and cook for 5 more minutes, until they are bright green but no longer raw.

  2. 2

    Remove from the heat and transfer the soup to the bowl of a food processor. Purée the soup and pass it through a fine sieve, 76
    pressing on the pea skins to remove as much purée as possible. The broth will be thin. Adjust the seasoning with sea salt and pepper.

  3. 3

    Meanwhile, prepare the wasabi cream: Beat the cream with the wasabi and sea salt. When the cream forms soft peaks, add the chervil and continue to beat for 10 more seconds.

  4. 4

    To prepare the shrimp: Heat the safflower oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the garlic, cumin, and shrimp, and cook quickly, stirring, for 1 minute on each side. Season with sea salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool. When they are cool enough handle, dice 8 of the shrimp, discarding the tails, and keep the other 4 shrimp whole; set aside.

  5. 5

    To serve, reheat the pea soup over medium heat. Take 4 shallow bowls and place a 4-inch ring mold in the middle. Divide the chopped shrimp into the 4 molds and top each with one of the whole shrimp. Ladle the pea broth around the shrimp, remove the molds, and serve the soup with a dollop of wasabi-flavored cream.