Spring Pea Soup

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
• 1 12 cups leeks, sliced, white and pale green parts only
• 34 cup celery, diced
• 2 14 cups chicken stock
• 2 14 cups water
• 12 cup heavy cream
• 4 12 cups peas, shelled English
• 3 tablespoons parsley, coarsely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf
• 1 teaspoon thyme, minced fresh leaves
• 18 teaspoon ascorbic acid (1 tablet vitamin C crushed)
• sea salt, preferably gray salt
• pepper
• creme fraiche or basil oil or finely sliced fresh chives or prosciutto, bits

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat.
2. Add the garlic and let it sizzle for about 1 minute, then add the sliced white and pale green parts of the leek and celery.
3. Stir often while cooking until the vegetables soften, about 8 minutes.
4. Do not let them color.
5. Then pour the diluted stock into the saucepan and bring to a simmer.
6. Add the cream to the vegetable mixture and bring to a simmer.
7. Add the peas and return to a simmer.
8. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the peas are just tender, about 8 minutes.
9. Add the parsley and thyme and simmer for 1 minute longer, then remove from the heat.
10. Transfer in batches to a blender with the ascorbic acid and puree, adding more of the stock-water mixture as needed to thin the soup to a pleasing consistency.
11. Pour soup into a bowl set in an ice bath and stir until cooled.
12. (we want to cool it down as quickly as possible) Serve soup with optional garnishes.
13. Chef's Tip: Ascorbic acid helps keep the green color in pureed herbs and vegetables.
14. If you have vitamin C tablets on hand, just crush one with a rolling pin and add it to the mixture in the blender.
15. Note that you'll need a blender to puree the soup.
16. A food processor doesn't make it smooth enough.

extra virgin olive oil, garlic, leeks, celery, chicken stock, water, heavy cream, peas, parsley, thyme, ascorbic, salt, pepper, creme fraiche

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/spring-pea-soup-251410 (may not work)