By Daniel Patterson
- Total Time
- About 15 minutes
- Rating
- 4(222)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Buttermilk-simmered peas, plenty of mint, a touch of salt: That’s it. The chef Daniel Patterson brought the recipe to The Times in 2007. It benefits mightily not just from the use of fresh peas, but from real, homemade buttermilk as well, “nothing like the cultured, processed stuff that goes by the same name,” he wrote. This is true, as it happens, but luckily fresh buttermilk can increasingly be found at farmer’s markets and in specialty markets. Top the chilled soup with a few peas and a grind or two of fresh black pepper.
Featured in: The Way We Eat; Curd Mentality
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Ingredients
Yield:Serves 4
- 2cups homemade buttermilk (see note)
- 4cups shelled peas, plus more for garnish
- Salt
- 10mint leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
50 calories; 1 gram fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 287 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
In a medium saucepan, bring the buttermilk to a simmer and add 4 cups of peas and a large pinch of salt. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring often so that the buttermilk does not boil over. The peas should not be fully cooked and still have a slight bite to them.
Step
2
Transfer the peas and liquid immediately to a blender with the mint leaves and, starting on low speed, carefully blend (holding the lid on firmly with a dishcloth), working up to high speed for 60 seconds.
Step
3
In order to preserve the vibrant color and flavor of the peas, the soup must be cooled immediately. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then rest the bowl inside a larger bowl full of ice water. Stir continuously until cool, tasting occasionally; you will notice that the soup becomes sweeter as it cools. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate until cold.
Step
4
To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with fresh peas and freshly ground black pepper.
Tip
- Note: In recipes calling for homemade buttermilk, you may substitute each cup of homemade with a mixture of 1 cup 1 percent milk and 2 tablespoons cultured buttermilk.
Ratings
4
out of 5
222
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Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Weston
Used store-bought buttermilk as in the note and frozen peas (make sure you let peas thaw before adding buttermilk). Turned out great.
AD
Made it vegan by using almond milk mixed with 3T lemon juice instead of the buttermilk. Added extra mint as I thought the peas were overpowering the mint a bit.
Jane
I used the best store-bought buttermilk I could find (no weird additives), frozen tiny peas and twice the amount of homegrown mint called for, as we like mint. A delicious addition to the summertime chilled soup lineup.
Julia
I made this once using whey leftover from making ricotta, and it was delicious. Other times I've used the milk + store-bought buttermilk, and they have been great too. I've always used frozen peas and just cooked them about a minute.
Elizabeth
Really nice, but the cook time should reflect the chill time, as this takes way longer than 15 minutes start to finish.
PDeCo
I used fresh English peas, and they presented two problems: (a) after blending them in blender, almost no fluid would pass through the seive, so I had to turn the blender up to liquify, but (b) when liquified and later cooled and served, they were still too substantive or thick. I'd suggest clarifying which kinds of peas work best. Seeing comments from others, it seems frozen peas are a good choice. Also, the mint taste was too mild -- I'd suggest 15 leaves rather than 10.
DNcgo
Simplified recipe. Blanched and iced frozen peas. Poured 2 cups whole milk plain kefir in Vitamix. Added salt and 20 mint leaves (like a more pronounced taste) and blended until perfectly smooth. Delicious - and just a few minutes!
hannahk
I used fresh shelled peas but didn’t have my ice bowl ready and was scrambling to transfer everything. Maybe I cooked them too long; soup just tasted bitter and unappetizing.
PDeCo
I used fresh English peas, and they presented two problems: (a) after blending them in blender, almost no fluid would pass through the seive, so I had to turn the blender up to liquify, but (b) when liquified and later cooled and served, they were still too substantive or thick. I'd suggest clarifying which kinds of peas work best. Seeing comments from others, it seems frozen peas are a good choice. Also, the mint taste was too mild -- I'd suggest 15 leaves rather than 10.
Fay
This looked lovely to me but my family and I didn't like it (and we all love peas). I hate being negative, but most of it went down the drain, alas. Next time I'll just make actual peas.
Jacqueline
hmmm... so did anyone else wound up with most of the solids in the sieve, which seems a waste of perfectly good ingredients, or should I have blitzed longer - or used less fine mesh of a sieve...? Most importantly it makes the "soup" more like a drink, very liquidy. I did make the buttermilk, piece of cake with KitchenAid with dial on 8, the butter was separating within 8 minutes, quite suddenly as mentioned below. Tastes great but I was hoping for a thicker texture.
mez
Used frozen peas (thawed) and 3x the mint and it was so delicious. I can’t believe how simple!
Rebecca
This is fantastic. I didn’t have enough buttermilk so I added some Greek yogurt and whole milk.
Elizabeth
Really nice, but the cook time should reflect the chill time, as this takes way longer than 15 minutes start to finish.
Tracy
I very much enjoyed this during fresh pea season, as did most everyone. However a couple of my guests found it too rich. Maybe they just weren't cold soup people.
Dee
Homemade buttermilk, frozen peas. Mint was so faint even after adding more than double so put 1/4 tsp. mint extract in it. Straining is key. Gorgeous color. Nice! Easter first course...
Jane
I used the best store-bought buttermilk I could find (no weird additives), frozen tiny peas and twice the amount of homegrown mint called for, as we like mint. A delicious addition to the summertime chilled soup lineup.
AD
Made it vegan by using almond milk mixed with 3T lemon juice instead of the buttermilk. Added extra mint as I thought the peas were overpowering the mint a bit.
Julia
I made this once using whey leftover from making ricotta, and it was delicious. Other times I've used the milk + store-bought buttermilk, and they have been great too. I've always used frozen peas and just cooked them about a minute.
Weston
Used store-bought buttermilk as in the note and frozen peas (make sure you let peas thaw before adding buttermilk). Turned out great.
Marissa
Seconded!
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