DIVAS: An easy and colorful first course for Easter

Looking for a fresh-as-springtime first course for your Easter dinner? Or perhaps a light lunch?

I’ve got you covered. You’ll love this elegant, easy celebration of spring: Herbed Green Pea Soup and Carrot and Ginger Soup. Make one or both, like I did.

Both soups can be served warm or chilled and are sweet and refreshing, like springtime in a bowl. They look lovely served together because the colors are just so pretty together. The soups are scrumptious individually and the flavors are highly complementary eaten side by side.

Don’t worry; they’re especially delicious when mixed. Remember loving peas and carrots together as a kid? Good stuff. But the herbs and spice gives it a sophisticated grown-up flavor.

This pea soup is super easy because I use frozen peas.

But if you have a plethora of fresh peas (lucky you!) this is a great way to use them up.

Easy Herbed Green Pea Soup

Yield: 4 Servings - Time: 30 Minutes

What You’ll Need:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¾ cup sweet onion, finely chopped

5 cups (two 13 oz. bags) frozen peas, thawed

¼ cup fresh herbs of choice – parsley, fresh mint, tarragon, chives, or a mix - minced

2 ½ cups vegetable or chicken stock - divided

Salt and pepper

Here’s How:

Heat the butter in a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Cook the onion until translucent, but not browned. Add the peas and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the herbs (I used parsley and mint) and 1 ½ cups of broth. Simmer until quite soft, about 10 minutes. Let the soup cool. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to desired consistency. If you’re using a traditional blender, allow the soup to cool and then, working in batches, puree soup. Add the remaining 1 cup broth, stir and reheat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with sour cream – optional.

EASY CARROT AND GINGER SOUP

Yield: 4 Servings - Time: 35 Minutes

What You’ll Need:

2 tbsp. butter

¼ cup sweet onion, finely chopped

1 ½ pounds carrot (two 12 oz. bags frozen carrots) – chopped, thawed

2 ½ cups vegetable or chicken stock - divided

½ tablespoon fresh ginger - grated - or ½ teaspoon powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper

Here’s How:

Heat butter in a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Cook the onion until translucent. Add the carrots, ginger, cumin, and 1 ½ cups of broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer until very soft, about 20 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to desired consistency in the pan. If you’re using a traditional blender, allow the soup to cool slightly and then, working in batches, puree soup. Add the remaining 1 cup broth, stir and reheat. Adjust seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with sour cream – optional.

Considering these are vegetable soups, they are surprisingly filling so keep appetizer portions small.

I thought using vegetable stock let the clean veggie flavor really shine. But the batch I made with chicken stock was really delicious too, a little richer in flavor. Use whatever you have in your pantry.

Happy Easter from our home to yours.

Fabulous Food contributed by Patti Diamond from Divas On A Dime – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! www.divasonadime.com