jamie oliver's pea and mint soup

And there it was.

Staring straight at me. "Well, how bout it?" it asks me.

I try to ignore it looking at the Haagen-Dazs (mmm ice cream), frozen meats, puff pastry but eventually, with a big sigh, I finally grab the frozen bag and toss it on the kitchen counter.

Peas. Green peas to be exact. It's a freezer staple and although I kinda those round, green morsels, it's one of my last resort ingredients. Something I use when I'm too lazy to go to the grocery store, go out to eat or have little inspiration to cook. Instead of mixing it with rice, making a frittata out of it or just boiling it straight up I decided to give life to these frozen balls for the chilly weather Georgia's been experiencing.

I looked to Jamie's Food Revolution again and made his pea and mint soup. Like many soups, this recipe is extremely simple to make and it's quite hearty - perfect for the winter. If you don't like mint, just leave it out. I always have frozen mint on hand so I decided to add it in. Ham would also be a good addition to the soup (just don't blend it with the peas...add it as diced cubes at the end) and anything gets better with bacon right? I've started using vinegars/acids a lot in my cooking now so I added a squeeze of lemon juice for a bright, vibrant flavor. I'm passing the recipe onto you now!

Jamie Oliver's Pea and Mint Soup

Adapted from Jamie's Food Revolution, Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:

- 2 carrots, rough chop

- 2 stalks of celery, rough chop

- 2 medium onions, diced

- 2 cloves of garlic, sliced

- 6 to 8 cups of chicken stock (yes, vegetarians - you can use vegetable stock)

- 5.5 cups of frozen peas

- small bunch of mint

- juice from half a lemon

1) In a large, hot pot, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and add the cut carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes until the onions are translucent and slightly brown in color.

2) Add enough chicken stock to just cover the vegetables and bring back to a boil.

3) Once at a boil, add in the frozen peas and stir again to mix evenly. Bring back up to a boil.

4) Bring the temperature down to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes until the peas become tender.

5) After it finishes cooking, puree using an immersion blender or transfer to a blender.

6) Make sure the bottom's screwed on tightly and do I have to remind you to hold down the lid with a towel to prevent a major kitchen accident? Add mint leaves, the lemon juice and blitz.

7) If the soup's too thick, add more stock to thin it out a bit. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning accordingly with salt and pepper. Repeat the pureeing as necessary.

8) Serve immediately or toss it in the fridge. It's only gonna get better with time.