Potage St. Germain

Directions

Place drained, dried peas in soup kettle.

Add chicken broth; bring to a boil; simmer on low for 10 minutes.

Skim froth from top of soup.

Melt butter in skillet; sauté carrots and onions until onions are golden; add leeks and lettuce; simmer on low for 10 minutes.

Stir vegetable mixture into soup; add sugar and salt.

Simmer until split peas are tender, about 2 hours.

Put fresh peas through a sieve.

Force soup mixture through a sieve.

Return this combined mixture to the kettle.

Stir in cream and milk.

Heat just to boiling; stirring occassionally to prevent scorching.

Just before serving, add butter.

Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a dash of sherry, or both.