This soup is perfect for a hot summer’s day. Both rustic and refined, it reminds me of a small but wonderful project by Caruso St John Architects. An old solid timber building was transformed into a weekend house and a venue for concerts and exhibitions open to locals in the small Alpine village of Tschiertschen. I stayed there in 2017 and we had a great, big party.

The rustic quality in this soup is in the humble green peas, which are mixed with onions and stock into a smooth and light texture and then refined with lemon, egg yolk and cream.

For the ultimate luxury, serve it with a splash of champagne, or as here with horseradish cream. This soup has a long tradition in Swedish cuisine, although it appeared in the North through influences from France rather than from Nordic, peasant food culture.

Serves: 4    Total time: 1h 20 min

INGREDIENTS

500 g frozen peas (or half frozen and half canned)
1 yellow onion, chopped
500 ml vegetable stock (or chicken stock if not vegetarian)
100 ml wine
100 ml cream
1 egg yolk
Salt and white pepper

HORSERADISH CREAM
Crème Fraiche
Generous amount of freshly grated horseradish
Salt and white pepper

Tips: Serve it with a splash of champagne for the ultimate luxury.

METHOD

1. In a large pan, fry the onion on medium heat in oil or butter until transparent and golden. Add the wine and leave it simmering for a few minutes until the alcohol is removed.

2. Add the peas and the stock and cook until the peas are soft. This will take approximately 8 minutes once it has started to simmer. Season with salt and white pepper.

3. Mix the ingredients in a food processor or with a hand mixer until very smooth.

4. Add the egg yolk and cream to a separate pan (or the emptied pan if you have transferred the soup to a food processor) and pour over the mixed soup.
Serve immediately with the horseradish cream. Depending on how long the soup has been away from the heat, you may want to reheat the soup slightly.

Transformation of old, solid timber house in Switzerland by Caruso St John Architects