Mint Yogurt
1 cup plain whole-milk, low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt
15 leaves fresh mint, chopped
1½ tsp honey
Creamy Pea Soup
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium-sized leek, white and light green parts only, cut lengthwise and
thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock, plus a little extra as needed
1 cup heavy cream
½ lemon
1 Tbsp honey
20 oz frozen green petite peas
kosher salt
freshly ground white pepper
small sprigs fresh mint for garnish
Directions
In a nonreactive mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt, chopped mint and honey. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until serving time.
In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, add the leek and garlic, reduce the heat to low, and sauté, stirring frequently until the leek has softened, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the stock or broth, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the cream, squeeze in the juice of the lemon, and add 2 teaspoons of honey.
Stir in all but about ½ cup of the peas, reserving those for garnishing. Bring the liquid back to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, and adjust the sweetness with up to 1 teaspoon more of the honey. Continue boiling until the peas are tender, about 1 minute.
Remove pan from the stove. In a food processor or blender, working in batches to avoid overfilling, purée the soup; add a little more stock if necessary to thin the consistency. As each batch is puréed, pour it into a clean pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
If you are making the soup ahead, transfer the hot purée to a heatproof bowl set inside a larger bowl partially filled with ice and water, and stir until completely cooled. Cover and refrigerate.
Before serving, melt remaining butter with 1 tablespoon stock in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the reserved ½ cup peas and sauté until just heated through, about 3 minutes.
To serve, gently reheat over medium-low heat. Ladle the hot soup into heated serving bowls. Gently slide some peas from a spoon held near the surface of the soup to float them in each bowl. Garnish with a dollop of the mint yogurt and sprigs of mint. Serve immediately.