Broccoli, Pea, Cardamon and Thyme Soup.

This soup is just as simple to make as it sounds. There is a lot of flavours kicking around and to be honest a good lick of heat, but it has a freshness too. It does involve a lot of ingredients, but the heading highlights the flavour as it tastes.

This dish started it’s life whilst my wife was watching strictly, and I got bored. So I went to play in the kitchen. As is often the case, a sad left over item in the fridge lead to the dish! In this case a lonely broccoli head that missed it appointment with our Sunday roast. Then it was just a case of combining flavours- broccoli with thyme, which pairs with cardamon which pairs with sumac which pairs with peas which pairs with chilli!

It is not often an idea works so well out of the block, but this one did. A lot of little things like adding the florets later (for colour) and using potatoes as a natural thicken all helped, I am sure that over the next few tries I will readjust it and refine it, but I am already very happy with this, or I wouldn’t be putting it out here for the world to see!

INGREDIENTS FOR 4

• 1 head of broccoli,- stalk diced and the head broken into small florets
• 1/2 white onion- finely diced.
• 2 new potatoes- diced.
• 2 hand full of defrosted peas- about 80g
• 1/2 red chilli- finely diced.
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed.
• 1 tsp of sumac.
• 1 heaped tsp of cumin.
• 6 cardamon pods.
• good sprig of fresh thyme.
• 600ml of water.
• 1/2 veg stock cube.
• 2 tbsp of sherry vinegar.
• salt and pepper to taste.

METHOD

• Cook the broccoli stalk, onions and potatoes in oil for about 7 minutes until soft. You will need to stir so the potato starch doesn’t start to stick. THEY NEED TO BE SOFT to AVIOD A POOR TEXTURE IN THE END DISH.
• Add the garlic and all the herbs and cook for a few minutes until the aromates start to release.
• Add in the water, stock and broccoli florets then season lightly and cook for about 20 minutes.
• VERY IMPORTANT- REMOVE ALL THE CARDAMONS!!!! those bad boys will wreck the texture and flavour if left in.
• Add the sherry and peas and then blitz until smooth then adjust the seasoning. Bring back to a simmer for a few seconds before serving.
• I was very happy with the texture but if it is too thick just add a touch of water.
• Decorate with a few leaves of fresh thyme and serve with bread and butter.

As always this blog is simply a way for me to record the dishes I love cooking, and to allow me to play with my camera. If you find it and enjoy it, give it a like please!