Pea Courgette Lemon Soup With Bacon
This pea courgette lemon soup is perfect to bridge the gap between warming winter stews and light summery lunches. It couldn’t be simpler, and because I added a large handful of crispy bacon strips, even my son ate it with gusto. 
This recipe serves 4, and can be on the table in 20 mins.
Ingredients:
- 3 medium sized courgettes
- 1 medium onion
- 300g petit pois (but normal peas are fine too)
- 1.25l of chicken or vegetable stock
- Zest of 1 lemon and juice of half a lemon
- Oil to saute vegetables
- 1 rasher of back bacon per person.
- Salt and pepper to season.
Method:
Place the bacon in a hot oven to crisp up (I usually trim the extra fat off at this stage, but you don’t have to). While thats crisping,
Dice the onion finely, and soften in a pan with a splash of oil. Cook on a low heat until the onion is transparent, but not browned.Chop the courgettes finely, and add to the onion for a few minutes until soft. Remove around 2 tablespoons of the courgettes and set aside.
Add the stock to the pan along with the lemon juice and zest. Bring to the boil, and simmer for a few minutes. Mix the frozen peas in to the soup, keeping 2-3 tablespoons back with the courgette. After a few minutes the peas will be cooked. Remove from the heat, and blend with a hand blender until completely smooth.
The bacon should be nice and crispy by now. Cut it into strips
Add the remaining peas and courgettes and warm through completely until peas are cooked. Seasoning to taste before sprinkling the crispy bacon on top. Serve with toasted hunks of bread.
If you want a vegetarian option, remove the bacon (and use veg stock obviously). Garnish with a drizzle of creme frais or single cream and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
Comments 2
This is a wonderful recipe. It is a nice transition from winter to summer soups. The lemon would enhance everything nicely. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your comment Nicky. Lemon does seem to enhance lots of dishes. Have a great day.