My favourite springtime recipe has to be pea and mint soup. It is so fresh and flavoursome that I ate an unacceptably impolite amount of it at my friend’s house once. You can make parmesan crisps to dip in to the soup for an extra impressive, yet surprisingly simple, dish.
My other seasonal springtime favourites are: charred lettuce and spring onions with goats cheese; potato, onion and fennel tortilla; asparagus with tomato salsa and crumbled cheese; and watercress pesto (all recipes are on this blog and can be made in 30 mins or less!)
Allow about 25 minutes to make the soup and crisps. You will need a food processor or hand blender and baking/greaseproof paper.
Pea and Mint Soup with Parmesan Crisps (serves 4 as a starter or light main)
1 tbsp oil
Large knob of butter
1 medium potato, diced small
700g frozen peas
2 vegetable stock cubes (ideally OXO as they crumble well)
Large handful mint, roughly chopped
65g parmesan, very finely grated (or use double this if you want two crisps per bowl of soup)
Heat the oil and butter in a pan and when bubbling add the diced potato. Fry for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden and cooked through. Add the peas then add water so they are only just covered. Simmer for a few minutes, until the peas are tender, then crumble in the stock cubes and stir well. Add the mint then then use a food processor or hand blender to whizz everything together until smooth. If the soup is too thick then gradually add water until you are happy with the consistency.
To make the parmesan crisps, heat the oven at 220 degrees/gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with baking/greaseproof paper and on to this divide the grated parmesan into 4 long strips, in a thin layer. Bake for around 5-7 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Leave to cool a little, for about 5 minutes, then while still a little warm carefully peel the crisps off the baking paper. Cool until firm.
Serve the soup in bowls with a parmesan crisp on the side to dip in!
katielovescooking 
Love the look of the parmesan crisps!
They are so simple to make! You could also sprinkle the Parmesan in to cookie cutters to make round biscuits, or add poppy seeds 😊
Great tips, thank you so much 🙂
No prob – hope you enjoy it! x