Winter Greens Soup
Here's a great way to use a collection of winter greens, a brilliant, delicious, packed with nutrients soup we like to call 'Shrek soup' to help get over the "but it's green!" factor!
Swap bunches for baby leaves if you like and otherwise vary the greens included depending on what you have available, a handful of sorrel adds a lovely lemony flavour. Just aim for an equivalent amount to go with the carrot and potato.
4 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup chard stems, thinly sliced
1 medium sized potato, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
1 large carrot, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
¼ cup dry white wine
1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves washed, about 8 cups packed
1 bunch silverbeet or chard, stems removed and leaves washed, about 8 cups packed
1 bunch spinach, washed, about 8 cups packed
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Croutons and parmesan to garnish
Heat the olive oil in a soup pot and add the onions, ½ tsp salt and several pinches of pepper. Sauté over a medium heat until the onion is soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Then add the garlic chard stems, potatoes and carrot. Sauté until the vegetables are heated through, about 5 minutes. Add half a cup of stock, cover the pot and cook for about 10 minutes. When the vegetables are tender, add the white wine and simmer for two minutes until the pan is nearly dry. Stir in the Kale, Chard, one teaspoon salt, a few pinches of paper and three cups stock. Cover the pot and cook the soup for 10 to 15 minutes until the Kale is tender. Add the Spinach and cook for three to five minutes until just wilted. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor until it is smooth. Thin with a little more stock if it seems too thick. Season with lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish each serving with croutons and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese if desired.
Recipe adapted from “Fields of Greens” Book by Annie Somerville
