Potage St. Germain with Julienne of Prosciutto and Golden Croutons
Potage Saint Germain is a thick pea soup enriched with butter, cream, and smoked bacon, it is always accommodated with some small golden croutons cooked in butter. A lot of flavors!
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Total Time2 hourshrs
Course: Soup
Cuisine: French
Keyword: Potage St. Germain
Servings: 8
Ingredients
2ouncesbutter
Salt and white pepper
1mediumonion,chopped
4ouncesbacon,about 5 slices cut in small strips
8clovesgarlic,peeled and sliced
1smallbutter lettuce,washed and roughly chopped
1green part leek,washed and sliced
1poundgreen split peas,soaked overnight in 8 cups of cold water
8cupslight chicken or vegetable stock
1cupwhipping cream
GARNISH
0.5cupsour cream
3ouncesProsciutto,about 3 thick slices
4slicessandwich bread
0.75cupclarified butter
8sprigsparsleyfor garnish
Instructions
The day before: Soak the peas overnight in cold water, and place in a refrigerator. Next day, strain the soaked peas in a colander.
Start the soup: In a saucepan, melt the butter on low heat, add the chopped onions and sweat on low heat for 2 minutes. Add the bacon and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the chopped garlic, the butter lettuce, and the green leek and cook for 2 minutes. Keep stirring from time to time to make sure that the ingredients do not color. Add the drained peas, and cover with the stock. Season with a pinch of salt and white pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes or until the peas are tender.
Finish the soup: Blend the peas in the food processor until it becomes smooth. Then, strain through a fine sieve in a clean saucepan. Bring back to a low boil, add the cream and check the consistency and the seasoning.
Serve the soup: Serve in a hot soup plate. Add a teaspoon of sour cream in each plate, and garnish with a little bit of Prosciutto julienne around the cream and a parsley sprig. Sprinkle some croutons around, and serve some separately.
Meet St. Germain: St. Germain is the name given to various dishes containing green peas (also known as Clamart) or split peas; they are all named after the Comte de Saint Germain, War Minister under Louis XV (1690 - 1784). A man who knows everything and who never dies said Voltaire of the Comte de Saint Germain.