Spanish Pea Soup with Crispy Ham

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken stock see homemade
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 6 servings kosher salt and pepper black freshly ground
• 6 servings olive oil good
• 2 pounds peas sweet frozen such as bird's eye garden
• 6 slices serrano ham italian spanish thin
• 0.5 cup shallots chopped (2 large shallots)

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• pot
• blender
• immersion blender

Directions

1. Watch how to make this recipe.
2. In a deep (8 x 5-inch) heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add the shallots and saute for 3 to 5minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned.
4. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
5. Add the chicken stock, frozen peas, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender until coarsely pureed. (I like it to have some texture.) Alternatively, use a blender to puree the soup 1 cup at a time.
6. Pour the soup back into the pot and season to taste. Depending on the saltiness of the stock, I may add up to another teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to give the soup a very bright flavor.
7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
8. Place the ham in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast for 5 to 8 minutes, until crisp.
9. Reheat the soup and serve in shallow bowls with a slice of crispy ham on top.
10. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve hot.