English Pea Soup

• Salt to taste
• 1 pound fresh peas, shelled
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 slices bacon
• 4 slices bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tangerines
• 4 teaspoons creme fraiche
• 4 sprigs fresh mint leaves, destemmed

1. Boil 1 quart well-salted water in a large pot.
2. Add peas; cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. (Go by taste rather than time.)
4. Strain peas, saving blanching water, and place them in a bowl of ice water.
5. Puree peas in batches with a little blanching water and pass through a fine sieve or food mill into a large saucepan.
6. Blend, thin with a little hot water if necessary and season with salt and pepper.
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
8. Cook bacon slices on a sheet pan until crisp, about 10 minutes.
9. Remove to paper towels.
10. Keep oven on.
11. Place bread cubes on the same pan.
12. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to pick up bacon drippings.
13. Bake until crispy, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
14. Set aside.
15. With a knife, peel and segment tangerines over a bowl to catch the juices.
16. Set aside.
17. To serve: Reheat soup over medium heat.
18. Lightly crumble bacon into 4 soup bowls.
19. Add croutons, tangerine segments and a little juice.
20. Add a dollop of creme fraiche and a mint sprig.
21. Ladle in the soup and drizzle with remaining olive oil.

salt, fresh peas, freshly ground pepper, bacon, bread, extravirgin olive oil, tangerines, creme fraiche, mint

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7115 (may not work)