Cold Pea Soup

Mark Bitman: It goes without saying that good stock is a must here. Fresh peas aren’t mandatory, but they are an added bonus if you can find them.

Yield 4 servings

Time 30 minutes, plus chilling

Ingredients

• 1 pound peas in the shell, snow peas or sugar snap peas (frozen are acceptable)
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Sour cream for garnish - (or not!)
  
• Chopped parsley for garnish

Method

• 1. In a saucepan, combine peas and stock, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until peas are bright green and tender, 10 minutes or so. Cool a few minutes. If you are using regular peas, remove some from their shells for garnish. (Refrigerate those until serving.)
• 2. Pour the cooked peas into a blender, and carefully blend them until they are puréed. Add salt and pepper to taste, and force through a fairly fine strainer, discarding solids. Refrigerate until cool; serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream and the parsley.

Source: The New York Times Diner's Journal