1 small onion, sliced
2 Tblsp. butter
1½ cups English peas, shelled
salt & white pepper to taste
1½ cups chicken stock (preferably homemade, but if canned use low sodium variety.)
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tblsp. fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
¼ cup to 1 cup lowfat milk
about ¼ cup creme fraiche or sour cream
black caviar

In a medium saucepan, sauté the onion in the butter until soft and translucent. Add the peas and the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook until peas are tender - about 5 minutes. Place this mixture in a blender and puree until smooth. Put in a bowl and add the cream. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the mint. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

After the soup has been chilled, run it through a sieve, pressing through small bits of mint. At this point the soup may be very thick. If it is too thick, add milk ¼ cup at a time until it is the desired consistency. Serve in demitasse cups for a small starter, or shallow bowls for something a little more substantial. Garnish with a dollop of creme fraiche and a little spoonful of caviar on top of the soup.

Recipe courtesy of Fresh-Herb-Recipe newsgroup. Click Here to subscribe.