Pea and bacon soup

Peas and bacon are a very good match. The typical English soup is pea and ham but I find that I prefer bacon. 

Serves: 5 persons.

Ingredients:

• 3 bacon strips
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 celery stick, chopped
• 500g peas
• 750ml chicken stock
• 4 tbsp tarragon
• salt & pepper to taste
• olive oil to taste

Method:

1. Fry the bacon on both sides in the casserole with a little olive oil you'll be cooking the soup in.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Transfer the bacon to a oven tray and crisp it under the grill on both sides.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Chop the bacon into around 1 cm pieces. Reserve.
   
   
   
4. Add the onion, garlic and celery to the casserole and sweat. As you stir, scrape the bacon fat from the bottom of the casserole.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Add the peas and chicken stock and cook for 5min.
   
   
   
6. Add the tarragon and salt & pepper to taste.
   
   
   
7. Blitz.
8. Serves the soup hot with crispy bacon pieces. There were several in each plate but they sank to the bottom!