Saint-Cloud Soup

Ingredients

• 1 litre fresh peas
• 2 lettuce hearts
• 0.5 litre white consommé (clear stock)
• 1 pinch powdered sugar
• 150 grams butter
• cooked lettuce from garnish
• croutons
• chervil sprouts (pluches de cerfeuil)

Instructions

1. Cook 1 litre of very fresh peas by étuvage (braising in a covered pot with minimal liquid, as indicated in the second fresh pea purée recipe), adding 2 lettuce hearts to the pot.
2. After cooking, remove the lettuce hearts and pound the peas in a mortar until smooth. Extend the purée with 0.5 litre of white consommé (clear stock), pass through fine cloth (étamine), and adjust the consistency with additional consommé as needed.
3. At the moment of service, finish the soup with a pinch of powdered sugar and 150 grams of butter, whisking to incorporate.
4. Garnish with the reserved cooked lettuce, cut into fine strips (ciselée); small diced croutons fried in butter; and fresh chervil sprouts (pluches de cerfeuil).