Curried English Pea Soup with Creme Fraiche

I'll be right up front by saying I HATE the mealy taste of pea soup -- always have, always will; except for this pea soup. I don't remember what prompted me to try it, but am I ever glad I did cuz it's opened up a whole new taste sensation that I was missing -- spring in a bowl.

I think the key is to use fresh peas in the pod -- commonly known as English Peas or Sugar Snap Peas. Now in many seasons these won't be available depending on the climate zone you are in -- so good quality frozen peas will be a credible substitute in this case, but I stress the adjective "good-quality".

I recently made this recipe for a lunch with work colleagues/friends. It is meant to be served hot, but since it was a warm summer day, I served it cold, which works just as well -- especially with the creme fraiche and mint topping. Creme fraiche is a matured, thickened cream with a slightly tangy, nutty flavour. You can buy it in the grocery store for an exorbitant price or you can easily make it at home (mix 1 cup whipping cream with 2 tab buttermilk in a glass container, cover and let stand at room temp for 8 to 24 hours or until very thick).

6 tab unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups diced white onions
Heaping 1/2 tsp curry powder
2 cups thinly sliced butter lettuce
3 cups shucked peas from 3 lbs in the pod, or frozen if out of season
1 tsp sugar
6 mint leaves, plus 2 tab sliced mint
5 cups vegetable stock or water
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup creme fraiche
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a large saucepan over high heat for about 1 minute. Add 4 tab butter and when it foams, stir in the onions, curry powder, and 1 tsp of salt. Turn the heat down to medium and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion is translucent and just starting to colour.
2. Add the lettuce, peas, 1-1/4 tsps salt, sugar and the remaining butter. Stir to coat well, and cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until the lettuce is wilted. Stir in the whole mint leaves, add the stock, and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down to a low simmer, and cook until the peas are just tender.
3. Strain the soup over a bowl. Put half the pea mixture into a blender with 1/2 cup of the stock and process on the lowest speed until the mixture is pureed. With the blender running at medium speed, slowly pour in more of the stock, until the soup is the consistency of heavy cream. Turn the speed up to high, and blend for at least a minute, until completely smooth. Set aside and repeat with the second batch. Add 1/2 tsp lemon juice, and taste for seasoning.
4. Pour the soup into bowls, spoon some creme fraiche in the centre (or similar to garnish), and scatter the sliced mint over the top.

Serves 6

NB: This soup is a great first course for the Lobster, Fava Bean Salad I posted a while ago in this blog. Check it out.

A++ Caramel and Macadamia Cheesecake to End the School Year

My son successfully finished up his first year of post-secondary education so to celebrate I gave him carte blanche to pick his favourites for a celebratory meal. Of course dessert figured prominently in his meal and cheesecake is his idea of perfection. Over the years I've baked many a cheesecake, but this one is in the gold standard category. First of all, it's covered in caramel and nuts -- what's not to love about that combo, and second it's got a rich, buttery cake batter that just melts in your mouth.

The caramel on the nut topping went a little darker than I like.

I suppose you could use something other than macadamia nuts for the topping, but their buttery-rich flavour really lends a nice complementary taste to the cake itself. And BTW, because macadamia nuts have such a high fat content (this is not a low cal dessert!!), they should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent rancidity before use.

The trick with this recipe is the caramel sauces -- there are two made using different methods. My only word of caution is to stay on top of the timing. You do that, and this recipe is relatively easy to create with max wow factor when served. 

600g good-quality cream cheese, at room temperature

120g berry sugar or superfine sugar

1/2 vanilla bean (it's really important to use a vanilla bean vs. vanilla extract)

4 eggs, lightly beaten

60 ml sour cream

icing sugar for dusting

160g dry biscuits like HobNobs

40g unsalted butter, melted

150g macadamia nuts

90g berry sugar or superfine sugar

65g unsalted butter

160g berry sugar or superfine sugar

100ml whipping cream, at room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 300F. Lightly grease a 20cm springform cake pan and line the base and sides with parchment.
2. Make the cake base by grinding the biscuits to crumbs in a food processor (or put them in a heavy-duty plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin -- great for getting out your frustrations!). Mix with 40g melted butter until you have a wet, sandy consistency. Transfer to the lined tin and flatten with your knuckles, or a spoon, until you have a level base.
3. To make the cake batter, put 120g sugar and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Slit the vanilla pod lengthwise in half and, using a sharp knife, scrape the seeds out into the bowl. Whisk with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the eggs and sour cream, whisking until smooth. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base and place in the oven. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until set (a skewer inserted in the centre should come out with a slightly wet crumb attached). Leave to cool to room temperature, then turn out onto a cake platter. Chill the cake for at least two hours.
4. To prepare the nut topping, scatter the nuts over a baking sheet and roast in a 300F oven for about 15 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside. Line a baking tray with parchment. Place 90g fine sugar in a saucepan with a very thick base (sugar should not be more than 1/8 inch high). Heat the sugar gently until it turns a golden-brown caramel. DO NOT STIR at any stage. Carefully add the toasted nuts and mix gently with a wooden spoon. When most of the nuts are coated in caramel, pour them on to the lined tray and leave to set. Break bits off and chop them very roughly with a large knife. Leave some whole.
5. To make the caramel sauce, put 65g unsalted butter and 160g berry sugar in a thick-bottomed saucepan and stir constantly over medium heat with a wooden spoon until it becomes a smooth, dark caramel. The butter and sugar will look like they have split, but don't worry; just keep on stirring. Once the desired colour is reached, carefully add the whipping cream while stirring vigorously. Remove from the heat and cool.
6. To finish the cake, dust the edges and sides with plenty of icing sugar. Spoon the caramel sauce in the centre, allowing it to spill over a little. Scatter lots of caramelized nuts on top.
7. The cheesecake will keep in the fridge for 3 days.

Serves 8 (or more as this is so rich it goes far!)