Potage Saint-Germain with Golden Croutons
Potage Saint-Germain is a rich, creamy French pea soup made with butter, cream, smoked bacon, and vegetables. Topped with golden croutons and julienne prosciutto, it’s a comforting and flavorful dish perfect for chilly weather.
Servings: 8
Calories: 457kcal
Ingredients
- 2 ounces butter
- Salt and white pepper
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 ounces bacon, about 5 slices cut in small strips
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
- 1 small butter lettuce, washed and roughly chopped
- 1 green part leek, washed and sliced
- 1 pound green split peas, soaked overnight in 8 cups of cold water
- 8 cups light chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 cup whipping cream
GARNISH
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- 3 ounces Prosciutto, about 3 thick slices
- 4 slices sandwich bread
- 0.75 cup clarified butter
- 8 sprigs parsley for 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.
- Prepare the garnish: Slice the Prosciutto very finely, like a julienne, and reserve in a cooler. Remove the crust of the sandwich bread slices. Cut the slices in small cubes to get little "croutons". In a pan, slowly heat the clarified butter and sauté the croutons continuously until they become golden brown. Lightly season the croutons with salt and pepper. Drain on absorbent paper to take away the excess fat.
- 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.
Notes
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.