Steamed Spring Pea & Tahini Soup with Za'atar Oil and Preserved Lemon Foam

Ingredients

• ▸600 g fresh or frozen spring peas, shelled
• ▸3 tbsp tahini, well-stirred
• ▸2 tbsp preserved lemon rind, pith removed and finely minced
• ▸1 tbsp preserved lemon brine, reserved from jar
• ▸400 ml cold vegetable stock, divided
• ▸200 ml full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
• ▸3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ▸2 tbsp za'atar spice blend
• ▸1 small shallot, roughly chopped
• ▸2 cloves garlic, smashed
• ▸1 tsp ground cumin
• ▸0.5 tsp white pepper
• ▸0.5 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• ▸1 tsp soy lecithin powder, for the foam
• ▸1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, torn, for garnish
• ▸1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
• ▸4 small radishes, thinly sliced into rounds, for garnish
• ▸1 pinch Aleppo pepper flakes, for garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   1. Set up a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water. Add the shallot and garlic to the basket first and steam for 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the peas and continue steaming for 4–5 minutes until bright green and just tender — do not overcook or you'll lose that vivid grassy sweetness. Remove from heat immediately.

2. 2

   2. Transfer the steamed peas, shallot, and garlic to a high-speed blender. Add 300 ml of the cold vegetable stock, the tahini, minced preserved lemon rind, cumin, white pepper, and sea salt. Blend on high for 90 seconds until completely smooth and almost silky.

3. 3

   3. With the blender running on low, stream in the remaining 100 ml of vegetable stock to adjust consistency — you want a thick, pourable bisque texture, not watery. Taste and adjust salt. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for an ultra-smooth result, pressing gently with a spatula. Set soup aside.

4. 4

   4. Make the za'atar oil: gently warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over the lowest possible heat for 2 minutes — do not let it simmer. Remove from heat, stir in the za'atar blend, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing the herbs to extract all the aromatic oil. Reserve.

5. 5

   5. Make the preserved lemon foam: combine the preserved lemon brine with the chilled coconut milk in a tall narrow container. Add the soy lecithin powder and use an immersion blender held just at the surface to whip air into the mixture for 30–45 seconds until a stable, airy foam forms on top. The foam should hold its shape for at least 2 minutes. Work quickly and use immediately.

6. 6

   6. Gently reheat the soup over low heat, stirring constantly, until just steaming — do not boil or you'll dull the color and flavor. Ladle into four shallow warmed bowls.

7. 7

   7. Spoon a generous dollop of preserved lemon foam onto the center of each bowl — it will slowly melt into the soup, releasing bursts of briny citrus. Drizzle za'atar oil in a loose spiral around the foam. Arrange radish slices along one edge, scatter torn mint and toasted sesame seeds over the top, and finish with a pinch of Aleppo pepper flakes.

8. 8

   8. Serve immediately while the foam is still airy and the soup is steaming. Instruct your guests to stir the foam in just before eating to release the full preserved lemon hit.

Variations

• ◆Char the shallot and garlic directly over a gas flame until blackened on the outside before steaming the peas. The bitter smokiness plays hard against the sweetness and adds a depth that reads almost meaty.
• ◆Skip reheating and serve the blended soup ice-cold. Swap the coconut milk foam for a cucumber-coconut yogurt foam and finish with a drizzle of green chili oil for a surreal Middle Eastern-Spanish crossover.
• ◆Toss one can of drained chickpeas with za'atar, olive oil, and a pinch of smoked salt, then roast at 200°C for 25 minutes until crunchy. Pile them in the center of each bowl before adding the foam, which turns this into a lunch that actually fills you up.