broad bean and mint soup

 broad bean and mint soup 

This soup is a lovely fresh, pale green, flecked with mint
and bright skin beans. Do not reheat once you
mixed with yogurt, as it may curdle

 Ingredients 

450g (1lb) broad beans (podded weight),
         thawed if frozen
1       onion, chopped
1       stem celery, thinly sliced
30g (1oz) butter
2 tbsp   pudding rice
1          generous sprig summer savory, or thyme
1 litre (13⁄4 pints) chicken or vegetable stock
             salt and pepper
110g (4oz) Greek yogurt
           handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
4         small sprigs of mint
           paprika or cayenne pepper, to serve

  Procedure

A:If the beans are fresh, drop them into a pan of boiling water and
simmer for 1 minute. Drain and run under the cold tap. Then, whether
using fresh or frozen, skin each bean by slitting the tough outer skin with a
fingernail or a small sharp knife and squeezing out the bright green beanlet
inside. Take about one eighth, chop roughly and set aside.

B:Over a low heat in a covered pan, sweat the onion and celery gently in
the butter for 10 minutes, or until very tender. Add the rice and savory
or thyme and cook for another minute, uncovered. Now add the unchopped
beans, 900ml (11⁄2 pints) of stock, salt and pepper, bring to the boil and
simmer for 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove the herbs then
blend in batches, adding more stock if you want a looser consistency.

C: Shortly before serving, reheat thoroughly, then remove from the heat.
Stir in a tablespoonful of the yogurt, together with the reserved
chopped beans and the mint. Mix in the remaining yogurt, a tablespoon at
a time, until it is all added. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve while still
warm, floating a sprig of mint and a light dusting of paprika or cayenne on
the surface of each bowl. .