Pea Soup with Hakurei Turnips - Recipe

     The Leesburg farmer's market in Virginia is blessed to have Shenandoah Seasonal, a farm that grows greens and vegetables all through winter.  Last week I picked up something I have never tried, Hakurei turnips.  These are cute little baby Japanese turnips.  Their full size is this little mini version of a turnip.  They are tender and delicious.  While great in a salad, I thought it would be neat to add them to a soup, a pea soup.  This soup has a rich bone broth base and plenty of salt pork flavor.  A bowl of this soup will be filling enough for a nice lunch!

Pea Soup with Hakurei Turnips

(Serves 6)

1/2-2/3 lb. Salt Pork cubed

1 Onion chopped

3-4 Garlic Cloves chopped

3 Ribs Celery chopped

1 Bunch (18-20) Hakurei (Japanese Baby) Turnips

4 c. Flavorful Bone Broth or a Flavorful Chicken Stock

28 oz. Frozen Peas divided

2 Bay Leaves

1 tsp. Dried Thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 c. Sour Cream as garnish

     Heat a Dutch oven (about 5.5 quarts) on medium heat and fry the salt pork, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.  Once it begins to brown watch it very carefully.  It will become dark very fast, and you don't want it to burn.  Add the onion, garlic, and celery.  Clean the turnips and separate the greens.  Save the greens for another use, chop the ends off each turnip, and add to the pot.   Sauté until the onions begin to soften.  Add the bone broth, 6 oz. of the peas, bay leaves, and thyme.  These peas will cook longer and become softer.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  The turnips should be soft.  Add the rest of the peas and simmer another 5 minutes.  These peas will not cook as long and will have a different texture.  Turn off the heat.  Blend 1-2 cups of the soup in blender and return to the soup, or use an immersion blender per manufacturer's directions to blend some of the soup to thicken.  Be careful not to over blend.  You want most of the chunks and peas to retain their shape.  You may even use a potato masher and mash some of the soup by hand.  Taste, then adjust salt and pepper.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream.

Be sure to like my page on https://www.facebook.com/ComfortFoodKim/!  To see more recipes and news hover over "Following" by my cover photo and click "See First" to make sure I show up in your News Feed! 

Hakurei turnips on the left.

Sautéing the vegetables.

Garnish with sour cream.