- 1 medium onion, chopped
- a little butter or olive oil
- 1 large cos or 2 large butterhead lettuce (or the outer leaves from four or more lettuces)
- 250g/9oz (shelled weight) fresh or frozen peas
- 1L/1žpt good chicken or vegetable stock
- 5-6 fresh lovage leaves (plus 4 more to garnish) or 3-4 sprigs fresh tarragon
- salt and pepper
- Sweat the onion in the oil or butter until soft, then add the peas and lettuce. Pour over two-thirds of the stock, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 4-6 minutes (until the fattest of the peas are completely tender).
- Remove from the heat and add the lovage leaves or tarragon, then blend the soup with a hand blender or in a liquidiser. I stop blending before it is completely smooth, as I like to see and feel some texture, but a completely smooth, velvety texture is also nice. Thin the soup to your preferred texture with the remaining stock. I like it quite thick, but again, it's a matter of personal taste.
- To serve cold, chill in the fridge, or if you're in a hurry, transfer to a cold bowl and place this in a second, larger bowl half filled with iced water. Stir until chilled, changing the water and adding more ice as necessary.
- To serve hot, reheat, stirring occasionally and do not allow to boil. In both cases, garnish with a single lovage leaf or a tiny sprig of tarragon in each bowl.