Chunky Pea Soup with Halloumi

Soup season is all year round for us. When rainy days are upon us nothing beats the pleasure of a creamy seasonal soup, that's super tasty, healthy and easy to put together. This joyous chunky soup is just what we need to celebrate the bounty of spring seasonal produce. The addition of salty fried halloumi is the magic final ingredient to give this vegetarian soup a lovely extra crunch.

Serves: 4

Prepare: 10 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• knob of butter
• 4 salad onions, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 600g frozen garden peas
• 1 large potato, diced
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• Handful mint leaves, chopped, plus a few extra leaves
• 100g halloumi cheese, cut into small dice
• 1 tsp of ground nutmeg
• 50g Greek yogurt or crème fraiche

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the rapeseed oil and fry the salad onions for 3 minutes to soften. Add the potato, peas and stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes until the potato is tender. Stir in the chopped mint and lightly blend the soup, using either a stick blender or a food processor until the vegetables are broken up but not completely puréed.

2. Meanwhile, heat a dry frying pan, add a splash of oil and fry the halloumi, stirring until golden.

3. Add the nutmeg to the soup and reheat gently. Ladle into bowls, top with spoonfuls of yogurt and scatter over the halloumi and a few extra mint leaves.

Tip: This soup can be served as it is or blended more for a smoother texture, if you prefer.