Recipe: Sweet pea soup with prosciutto, creme fraiche and black truffle butter

Recipe provided by Emeril Lagasse's Table 10

Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016 | 2 a.m.

As cold weather rolls in, a warm, silky soup is a welcome and inviting start to any holiday meal. And the bright green color of this dish is an apt tie-in to Christmas, with a dash of red twirled around the garnish.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 quarts shucked English peas (reserve one cup, blanched and cooled, for garnish)

• 1/4 cup shallot, minced

• 1/4 cup garlic, minced

• 1 1/2 quart vegetable stock

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 2 oz fresh basil, roughly chopped

• 1 oz fresh mint, roughly chopped

• 4 oz package sliced prosciutto

• 1/2 cup creme fraiche, whisked and smooth and poured in a squeeze bottle

• 1 package grissini (thin Italian breadsticks)

• 4 oz black truffle butter, softened (reserve 1 oz for garnish)

For the soup

1. Heat peas in olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the peas are bright green (or about 3-4 minutes), add garlic and shallots, and cook for an additional minute or until both are clear.

2. Add vegetable stock and reduce heat to medium. Bring to a slow simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the peas are very tender.

3. Blend on high in a blender and add butter, cream, basil and mint, and continue to blend until very smooth. If too thick, add vegetable stock or water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Pass the soup through a fine wire mesh strainer and heat to serving temperature.

For the garnish

1. Cut each prosciutto slice in half lengthwise.

2. Using 3 oz of the truffle butter, lightly coat each piece of prosciutto.

3. Wrap one half slice of prosciutto around one grissini to cover as much as possible.

To plate

Heat the blanched, reserved peas over low heat in the remaining truffle butter until tender (about 3-4 minutes). Pour into serving bowl, drizzle some of the crème fraiche in a small circle in the center of the soup and sprinkle some of the blanched peas in the center of the circle. Place the prosciutto-wrapped grissini on the edge of the bowl.