Pea Pod Soup With Lemon Crème Fraîche

• 2 pounds fresh peas in the pod
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped shallots
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 quart fat-skimmed chicken broth
• 1/2 cup basmati rice
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche (see notes)
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Salt and fresh-ground pepper

1. Rinse peas in pods. Cut off and discard tough ends from pods; pull off and discard strings. Shell peas. Reserve pods; blanch and reserve peas. To blanch fresh peas, bring water to a boil in a large pan, then add peas. Cook just until they start to turn a brighter green, 15 to 30 seconds, then drain immediately. Rinse well under cold running water until cool, then drain again.
2. In a 4- to 5-quart pan over medium heat, melt butter. When it is foamy, add shallots and stir until limp, about 3 minutes. Add wine, increase heat, and boil, stirring, until about half the liquid has evaporated. Add pea pods, chicken broth, and 3 cups water; lower heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add rice and cook until pods are tender when pierced, 25 minutes longer.
3. In a small bowl, stir together creme fraiche, lemon peel, and lemon juice.
4. Working in small batches, transfer pod mixture to a blender; whirl until nearly smooth. (The tough bits of pea pods may catch on blade; stop motor and remove blender jar to clean blade as needed.) Pour soup through a fine strainer into a 4- to 5-quart pan, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard solids.
5. Stir in half the lemon creme fraiche; add salt and pepper to taste. Set over medium heat; stir occasionally until soup is steaming. Add blanched peas. Ladle soup into bowls and top each with lemon creme fraiche.

fresh peas, butter, shallots, white wine, chicken broth, basmati rice, crueme fraueeche, lemon juice, salt

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pea-pod-soup-with-lemon-crme-frache (may not work)