We love a chunky soup and this pea, ham and watercress version is one of our go-to's. It's particularly nice to make when fresh peas are in season (June to August), otherwise frozen peas work well here.
This soup is a great post-Christmas recipe to try if you served gammon (just shred or cut into cubes) and you can also use up any leftover Stilton you might have in the homemade soda bread we suggest you serve alongside this soup.
This recipe only requires 25 minutes of prep time, and the rest is done on the hob. You can serve with a crusty bread loaf from the shops if you don't want to make the soda bread - and it'll save you time in this recipe, but we think it's a necessary step for all the flavours to come together.
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Yields:
4 serving(s)
Prep Time:
25 mins
Cook Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 5 mins
Cal/Serv:
678
Ingredients
For the soda bread
200 g wholemeal flour
150 g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp. sugar
125 g Stilton (without rind), crumbled
60 g walnuts, chopped
325 g natural yogurt
For the soup
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
700 g frozen peas
600 ml chicken or vegetable stock
100 g watercress or rocket
100 g crème fraîche
250 g thick cut ham, shredded, or use ham hock
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. For the soda bread, in a large bowl, mix the flours, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, ½tsp fine salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add the Stilton and walnuts and mix gently. Make a well in the centre and add the yogurt. Using your hand or a wooden spoon, mix to a shaggy dough.
Step 2Tip on to work surface and shape into a ball. Place on the lined sheet and flatten slightly. Cut a cross into the top, or press a cross in using a floured wooden spoon handle – you want to go at least halfway down into the dough. Bake for 35-40min, or until deeply golden and the base sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.
Step 3Meanwhile, make soup. Heat 1tbsp oil in a large pan over medium heat and fry onion, covered with a lid, for 10min until completely softened. Add garlic and fry for 1min. Stir in peas, stock and some seasoning. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few min. Stir in the watercress, to wilt. Blend until smooth, then return to the pan and whisk in the crème fraîche and 150g of the shredded ham. Check seasoning.
Step 4To serve, heat remaining ½tbsp oil in a medium frying pan over high heat. Add remaining ham and fry until crisping, about 5min. Reheat soup, if needed, and divide between 4 soup bowls. Top with the crispy ham and some freshly ground black pepper. Serve with the soda bread.
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
