Curried Pea Soup with Welsh Rarebit
FOR A 3.5-4.5 LITRE SLOW COOKER. SERVES 4-6
While this soup is sensational simply served on its own, it is well worth the effort to make the rarebit. These can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. In this case, I like to warm the rarebit in a moderate oven for 5 minutes before serving. Normally, the frozen peas would be added during the last half-hour of cooking. However, for this dish, the method given here works very well indeed.
For the Soup
500g fresh or frozen peas
150g split peas
80g parsnips (peeled weight) diced
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock, or water mixed with 2 teaspoons stock powder
125g rindless bacon, diced
2 teaspoons curry powder
⅓ cup cream, approximately
For the Welsh Rarebit
1 small onion, finely grated
125g rindless bacon, diced
125g tasty cheese, grated
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 slices bread, lightly toasted
If using frozen peas, cover with boiling water and stand for 1 minute, then drain.
To make the soup, place all the ingredients except the cream into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 7–8 hours.
Purée the soup using a stick blender and stir in the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a small spoonful of cream and topped with several of the croutons.
To make the Welsh rarebit, preheat the oven to 170°C, preheat the grill to high and line two baking trays with baking paper. Mix together all the ingredients except the toast until well combined. Spread the mixture onto the toast, making sure it covers right out to the edges. Place on the prepared trays and bake for approximately 10 minutes, then place under the grill and cook briefly until the topping is golden brown and bubbling. Cool then sprinkle over top of the soup, or cut into triangles and serve alongside. Reheat before serving.