peas de resistance

JAMES NATHAN’S PEA AND WHITE TRUFFLE SOUP WITH PARMESAN GALETTES (Serves 4-6 )

“MY FAVOURITE way of serving this is to use elegant coffee cups and saucers,” explains

James. “The Parmesan galettes need to be wide enough to balance safely on top of each serving cup.”

INGREDIENTS

250g frozen peas or petit pois, plus 1tsp for the galettes 450ml hot vegetable stock

A few thyme springs, leaves picked Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1-2tbsp creme fraiche (optional) White truffle oil, to serve

For the galettes:

80g (3oz) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

2 slices Serrano ham

1 packet pea shoots

Small handful of mint tips (the very tiny new growth buds at the end of the stem) or 6 mint leaves Viola flowers

METHOD

1. Put the peas in a bowl, then pour over boiling water and leave to stand for about five minutes. Drain.

2. Put the peas (setting aside one teaspoon for the galettes), stock, and thyme leaves in a blender and blend until smooth and combined, in batches if necessary. Add more stock if the soup is too thick. Season well with salt and pepper, and blend again.

3. Make the Parmesan galettes. Heat a heavy-based non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and sprinkle four thin layers of Parmesan to make a galette wide enough for your serving cups. When the cheese starts to melt, wait about two minutes, until it turns golden and bubbly. Immediately remove from the heat, leave for about one minute, then transfer to a wire rack.

4. Finely shred the ham into strips. Scatter each galette with the reserved petit pois, viola petals, pea shoots and mint.

5. To serve, stir the creme fraiche (if using) into the soup, use a hand-held blender to froth up the liquid, pour into serving bowls or cups, and spoon a head of froth over each.

6. Add a few drops of truffle oil to each cup and top with a Parmesan galette balanced on each cup.