Low-Calorie • Vegetarian • Gluten-free

Active 15 Min

Total 1½ hrs

Amazing Pea Soup

Sometimes the peas in the garden outpace the picking or the supplies in the store aren’t so fabulous. Here’s a recipe for those less-than-perfect peas that uses the whole pea, shell and all, so there’s no shucking involved. A soup for the true pea lover.

• 12 cups water
• 2 pounds English peas, unshelled
• ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Ground pepper to taste
• ¾ cup low-fat plain yogurt

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add peas, return to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.

2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer one-third of the pea pods to a food processor. Add ½ cup cooking liquid and process until smooth. (Use caution when blending hot liquids.) Pour into a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining pea pods in 2 batches, with ½ cup cooking liquid each time. Pour the pureed peas plus the remaining cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. (Alternatively, put through a food mill fitted with a fine disc.)

3. Return the soup to the pot, bring to a boil and then simmer until reduced by about a third (to about 6 cups), 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in dill, salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with a swirl or dollop of yogurt and a sprig of dill, if desired.

Serves 6: about 1 cup each

Calories 79 | Fat 1g (sat 0g) | Cholesterol 2mg | Carbs 13g | Total sugars 8g (added 0g) | Protein 6g | Fiber 4g | Sodium 429mg | Potassium 365mg.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (143% daily value) | Vitamin A (32% dv).

Peas begin to lose their sugar content the minute they’re picked, so the sooner they get from the garden to the cooking pot, the better.