Ingredients
2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
1 onion
, chopped
1 fennel bulb
, chopped
200g asparagus
, woody ends and all, roughly chopped (save the pretty tips for another recipe, if you like)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp fennel seeds
1.2l vegetable stock
450g frozen peas
100g bag watercress
, reserve some small leaves for the toasts
small bunch parsley
, roughly chopped
small bunch mint
, leaves picked and roughly chopped (or buy 1 large bunch and use half in the pesto, if making)
100ml double cream
For the toasts
1 large ciabatta, thickly sliced on an angle
drizzle of extra virgin olive or rapeseed oil
, plus extra for serving
1 fat garlic clove, squashed
150g pack soft goat's cheese
6 slices prosciutto
200g pesto
, see recipe in tips or buy a good-quality fresh one
Method
1.Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and fennel and fry gently for 10 mins or until softened but not coloured. Add the asparagus, garlic and fennel seeds and stir everything around in the pan for another 1-2 mins. Pour in the vegetable stock, season, and cover with a lid. Leave on a gentle simmer (but for no longer than 5 mins) while you prepare the toasts.
2.Heat the grill. Put the ciabatta slices on a baking tray and drizzle with a little oil. Pop the bread under the grill for 2-3 mins each side or until golden and crisp. Remove the toasts and rub the garlic clove over each piece of toast.
3.Add the peas to the soup, bubble for 1 min to defrost the peas, then remove the pan from the heat and add most of the watercress, the herbs and the double cream. Use a hand blender to blitz it to a smooth, creamy consistency. Check the seasoning - you will need to be quite generous.
4.Spread each piece of toast with a little goat's cheese, then top with a slice of ruffled prosciutto, a dollop of pesto and a few small sprigs of watercress. Finally, drizzle over a little olive oil. Serve the toasts alongside the soup, with a bowl of pesto on the side.
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