Pea & White Bean soup

Had a wonderfully busy weekend. I love my God, love my church & love my family!

I am so grateful that I am surrounded by generous family members. But lately, I seem to be getting a ton of peas! More than even I know what do with. See, my husband & I love our veggies & we have a veggie-loving 18 month old. But - SO MANY PEAS! I don't know why it took me so long to think about making soup. It kinda kills two birds with one stone, too. I don't feel like chewing much with all this dental work I've been having & soup was the perfect dinner for tonight.

I didn't follow a recipe. I know peas go with ham or bacon. I didn't have any available. So, this soup was just a hodge-podge of whatever was available.

Pea & White Bean Soup

Ingredients 

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

2 red onions, roughly chopped

2 small carrots, grated

3-4 stalks of celery, roughly chopped

4 large cloves of garlic, crushed

5 large handfuls of green peas

2 large handfuls of fresh white beans

1 pork sausage, cut into chunks

8-10 peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp thyme

Salt to taste

4-5 cups chicken stock

1 cup milk

Double cream, cheese & chopped chives to garnish

Method

1. Heat the oil & butter in a heavy-bottomed pan.
2. Sautee the onion, garlic, celery & carrot. Add a little salt so they don't brown too fast.
3. When the onion & celery are soft, add the sausage & peppercorns. Let the sausage brown a little & release some fat.
4. Add the peas, beans & stir well.
5. Add the stock, bayleaf, thyme & salt to taste.
6. Cover & cook until the beans and peas are very soft - 1-1.5 hours.
7. Cool the mixture & then puree.Pour back into a saucepan.
8. Add the milk & bring to a boil. Increase or decrease the amount of milk depending on how thick you want the soup to be.
9. Take off the heat & adjust the seasoning.
10. Garnish & serve hot.