Risi E Bisi

(recipe from Food & Wine magazine)

About 7 cups vegetable broth
4 cups fresh young peas (about 4 lbs. in the pod) or thawed frozen peas
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter (I used coconut oil)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I omitted this)
salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer.  Add 2 cups of the peas and blanch over low heat for 1 minute.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peas to a food processor and add 1/2 cup of the broth.  Pulse the peas to a coarse puree.  Keep the remaining broth warm, at a simmer.

In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter in the oil.  Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened and lightly colored, about 4 minutes.  Add the rice and stir for 3 minutes.

Add the remaining 2 cups of uncooked peas and mint to the rice and stir-fry over moderate heat for 1 minute.  Add the hot stock, 1 cup at a time, and stir constantly until it is partially absorbed before adding more (as for risotto), 20 to 25 minutes.  The texture should be soupy; if necessary, add more stock.  Just before the rice is al dente, stir in the coarsely pureed peas.  Stir in the parsley and half of the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.  Serve at once, sprinkling with the remaining cheese at the table.

(More like a risotto than a soup.  Very fresh pea flavor, even with frozen peas.)