Add Asparagus and Green Peas Soup to your springtime Mediterranean Diet recipes!
Asparagus grows wild in Crete. Our whole family would spend hours picking them. My Dad knew where to go to get them in large quantities. Because they were plentiful in the fields from fall to early spring, we had many different ways to prepare them. I especially love having them folded in an omelet with feta and tomatoes. We made many different soups with them including this one which is one of my all time favorites. Wild asparagus in Crete is thinner than what you will buy in most supermarkets, but thick or thin, asparagus makes this soup delicious!
Asparagus and Green Peas Soup (Island of Crete)
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus, washed, white pithy stems removed
- 2 cups water
- 2 1/4 cups green peas, fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup onions, grated or minced
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 cup Whole Fat Plain Yogurt
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook asparagus in steamer until tender.
- In a separate pot, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add peas, olive oil, onions and a pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add asparagus and parsley to pot and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Place mixture in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Place blended mixture back in pot with 1 1/4 cups water and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in yogurt, salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 256kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 6gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 31mgPotassium: 415mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1450IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 3mg
Have you tried this recipe? Tell us about it!Click here to rate this recipe in the comments section below.
About the Author: Koula Barydakis
Koula Barydakis was born into a long tradition of eating and living Mediterranean on the Greek island of Crete. She is a chef who has worked in many of the top restaurants in Crete and in Greek Town in Toronto, Canada. Koula is the co-author of “Foods of Crete, Traditional Recipes of the Healthiest People in the World” and is currently completing her second cookbook. Koula teaches cooking classes to tourists in Crete and has been hired to teach classes in other countries as well.
