Cooking with Heinen’s | Chilled Sweet Pea and Avocado Soup

2 mins read

When we eat food that is in the peak of its season we get the best there is to offer. That’s why the Farm to Table movement is so powerful. Here, sweet peas, leeks and fennel combine to create this delicate yet flavor packed chilled soup.

I’ve spent the last ten days at the beaches of Montauk, East Hampton and Shelter Island. I feel like a kid again. After a hot day at the beach a light meal that takes little prep but satisfies is what I aim for. In this week’s Cooking with Heinen’s post, I’m sharing my Chilled Sweet Pea and Avocado Soup. It’s topped with a relish of red grapes, lemon zest and fennel fronds.

This dish is made primarily in a blender.  What could be easier than that?  If you are not familiar with leeks be sure to cut them in half length wise and rinse them well.  They are typically quite sandy.

Chilled Sweet Pea and Avocado Soup

Ingredients:
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • ¾ c. Sweet onion
  • ¾ c. fennel
  • ¾ c. leeks
  • 1½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
  • 1 can low-sodium chicken broth
  • ½ c. dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 lb. peas
  • ¾ c. red seedless grapes
  • ½ tsp. lemon zest
  • 6 oz. low-fat plain yogurt or creme fraiche
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
Method:

Make the soup:

  • Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat.
  • Add the sweet onion, fennel, and leeks and sauté for 2 minutes.
  • Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, lower heat to medium low, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
  • Add the broth, wine, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the peas and simmer for 5 more minutes.
  • Transfer the soup in batches to a blender and puree the soup until smooth. Add up to 1/2 cup water to thin. Transfer to a large bowl, cover, and chill.

Make the Grape Salsa:

  • Combine grapes, 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds, lemon zest, remaining salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

To Serve:

  • Whisk yogurt, 1/4 cup water, and lemon juice into the chilled soup.
  • If necessary, thin with water to desired consistency.
  • Serve soup cold, garnished with seasoned grapes.

ENJOY!


About the Author

Photographer Sally Roeckell specializes in contemporary lifestyle portraiture with an emphasis on food photography. Her Blog, Table and Dish is a website devoted to celebrating and curating the many ways that food binds us. Sally hopes that her recipes and images will inspire you to gather your friends and family in the kitchen to make memories, use the time to connect with busy kids, chat over mixing bowls, get messy, laugh, sing, set the table, clear the table, pass the salt, debate the days topics and pray.

You can follow Sally here as a weekly contributor to 365Barrington and Heinen’s as well as via Table and Dish on Instagram and on her website at TableAndDish.com.


Have you heard about Heinen’s Tasteful Rewards™ program? Sign up for free to receive exclusive weekly specials via email and earn Heinen’s rewards. As a Tasteful Rewards™ membership benefit, Heinen’s will donate up to 1% of your qualified purchases made between September and April to a local school of your choice through their Teaming Up for Education Program. CLICK HERE to sign up for Heinen’s Tasteful Rewards™ and, trust me, this is one email that will always please your palate!

Heinen’s Grocery is located at 500 N. Hough Street, between E. Main Street and Route 14 (next to Meatheads) in Barrington, Illinois. Their open 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit Heinens.com.

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