Recipe: Pea and Fennel Soup [edit]

Step 1

Pour the chicken stock into a medium sized pan, add the cubed potato and simmer until it is soft.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat the butter and gently fry the bacon for about 5 minutes. Add the onion, fennel, celery and garlic to the bacon, cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but not coloured.

Step 3

Add the chicken stock and potato to the vegetable mixture, followed by the peas and the mint.

Step 4

Pour the soup into a food processor or liquidizer and blend until it is smooth. Rinse the pan and return the soup to it through a sieve. Press the debris, left in the sieve, firmly to extract the remaining liquid.

Step 5

Return the pan to the heat. Stir in the sugar, then season to taste.

Step 6

Serve piping hot, garnished with a little finely chopped fried bacon and a drizzle of creme fraiche.