“Sunny,yesterday my life was filled with rain”…so Hebb sang.

Sunny,thanks Juls and  Denise for bringing me joy while I’m playing…so I’m singing. ‘Cause cooking is nothing if not just relaxing using your hands,even if the sun shall shine or not:this contest gives me a colorful opportunity and it’s so delicious!

And today’s definitely perfect as Donna Day:in a pseudo pic nic version,ready to be taken outdoors- if weather reports are not so bad- or even eaten on a green carpet at home. That’s exactly what Donna’s recepices are for me:a soft pillow,a warm blanket that wrap me whenever I need it,wheter they’re sweet or savoury ones,it doesn’t really matter,they’re just perfect as they are.

I simply deconstructed this recipe,just adding one more ingredient:the agar agar powder,so that the mint scent becomes jelly and all the ingredients could be used as cheese to be spread on black crackers;as I said earlier,perfect to be carried outdoors without needing too more plates or bowls,just for a quick snack or even for lazy women chats without thinking about washing the dishes after.

As for the stock,I’ve used a vegetable version ’cause I dont’really like the chicken one,it always smells a bit too sweet and peculiar for my taste;and I’ve added just a liter so that the soup remained denser.

Just a refreshing and informal soup;and maybe the sun will finally shine on this sulky day!

SERVES 4

• 3 cups (360gr) green peas frozen
• 1 and 1/2 litre chicken stock (for me 1 liter vegetable broth)
• 2 large potatoes,peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup (125ml) single cream
• 1 spoon mint leaves,chopped
• 1/2 liter water
• 2gr agar agar powder (for me)
• crusty bread,or black charcoal crackers,to serve
• 1/2 cup (125ml) sour cream
• 1 tsp black pepper,freshly ground

Place the broth,potatoes and peas in a saucepan over medium heat and bring them to boil.

Cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Bring the water to boil,add the mint leaves and leave on low heat for 5 minutes;then,add the agar agar powder and leave it to cool

Blend the soup- not too thick- and return it into the saucepan;add the cream,pepper and salt and heat until hot.

Combine the pepper and the sour cream together and serve the 3 different preparations in small bottles,then place them in a basket with the black charcoal crackers.