Recipe by rachel green
Pea and Roasted garlic soup with seasoned garlic crouton

Serves 4
4 heads of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
50g butter
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1 kg frozen peas
1 litre vegetable stock
To serve:
55g crème fraiche
1 tbsp chives, finely chopped

There’s nothing quite like a winter soup, and this example combines a strong, rich garlic flavour with the convenience of frozen peas - preferably those grown in Lincolnshire throughout the summer and stored in the freezer!

This recipe is simplicity itself, making it a convenient starter for dinner parties that you can prepare in advance, an ideal amuse bouche or a chilled summer in-between course when prepared with mint. It looks great in cups or glasses rather than bowls and has a strong colour that really makes a statement against white china.
Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4. Cut the heads of garlic in half horizontally and drizzle with the olive oil. Wrap in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast the garlic for 40 minutes, until completely soft.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, and add the onions. Cover and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add the frozen peas and stir so that the peas are coated in the butter and onion mixture.

Pour in the stock and bring to the boil.

Turn down the heat and simmer for five minutes. Remove the garlic from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft roasted garlic cloves into the pan.

Puree with a hand blender and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Serve the soup with a spoonful of crème fraiche, garnished with a few chopped chives.