Chilled Pea Soup Recipe

Cook shallot

In a small saucepan, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the finely chopped shallot and a pinch of salt and sweat gently until translucent and soft, about 3–4 minutes. Do not let it brown.

Heat peas

Add the frozen peas and stock to the saucepan with the shallot. Increase heat to medium and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 3–4 minutes just to heat the peas through—they should be bright green and tender.

Blend

Transfer the hot peas, shallot, and liquid to a blender. Add the yogurt, heavy cream, mint leaves, dill, lemon juice (2 tbsp), 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, black pepper, and sugar if using. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1–2 minutes. If the mixture is very hot, remove the center piece of the blender lid briefly to vent and cover with a towel.

Adjust texture & chill

Taste and adjust seasoning (add up to 0.5 tsp more salt or a splash more lemon juice if desired). If the soup is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup cold stock or water to reach a velvety spoonable consistency. To cool quickly, add 1 cup of ice cubes to the blender and pulse until incorporated, or transfer soup to a shallow container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.

Strain (optional)

For an extra-silky finish, press the chilled soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, using the back of a spoon to help pass the soup through. Discard solids.

Prepare crab mixture

In a medium bowl, gently combine the picked crab meat, finely diced celery, minced shallot, minced dill, minced mint, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt). Season gently with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust—the crab should be bright with lemon and herb notes but not overdressed. Keep chilled until serving.

Portion crab

When ready to serve, portion the crab salad into small quenelles or spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons each) to top each bowl of soup, or keep as a small mound in the center of each bowl.

Assemble

Ladle the chilled pea soup into chilled bowls. Place a small portion of crab salad in the center of each bowl (about 2 tablespoons).

Finish

Drizzle each bowl with a light teaspoon of good olive oil. Garnish with mint leaves and dill fronds. Serve with a lemon wedge on the side for additional brightness.

Serving note

Serve immediately while the soup is cold and the crab is chilled. Leftover soup keeps refrigerated for up to 2 days; store crab separately and use within 1 day.