summery vegetable soup
it's been a while since I've posted a recipe here! usually I only post when I've done something sufficiently clever, and most of my cleverness lately has been manifesting in tiny additions to existing recipes. but today in a fit of "what can I even use" I invented a soup that is really damn good.
1/2 medium white onion
5ish cloves garlic (1/4 to 1/2 head)
1 tbsp butter (plus more for frying, or olive oil)
1 to 2 tbsp flour
1/2 c coconut milk
1 c broth (i used chicken; vegetable will work, or white wine)
1 pouch (200g) frozen spinach (i used creamed; if using straight and/or fresh spinach, add more milk-type liquid)
4 hearts of palm (i used jarred; do they come any other way?)
2 tsp lavender
1 tsp coriander
white pepper to taste
mince the garlic, and about half of the onion (i used the food processor). over medium heat, sauté with the tablespoon butter (also optionally half of the lavender and coriander); when the butter is melted, add the flour, stirring constantly, until it makes a roux. thin out the roux by adding coconut milk (in several portions, stirring each time), and some of the broth. add the spinach and let simmer.
dice the other half of the onion and sauté with oil or butter in a skillet, until much reduced and caramelised, add into to the soup, add the rest of the broth, and season with white pepper. now let the soup cool a bit, and run it through the food processor (or immersion blender) until smooth.
slice the hearts of palm moderately thinly and sauté with oil or butter in a skillet, seasoning with the rest of the lavender and coriander, until they are soft and/or just starting to brown. add into the already-blended soup, and continue cooking over medium heat until the soup reaches the desired thickness and the hearts have lost most of their sharp bite.
makes 2 generous servings, or 4 small ones.
1/2 medium white onion
5ish cloves garlic (1/4 to 1/2 head)
1 tbsp butter (plus more for frying, or olive oil)
1 to 2 tbsp flour
1/2 c coconut milk
1 c broth (i used chicken; vegetable will work, or white wine)
1 pouch (200g) frozen spinach (i used creamed; if using straight and/or fresh spinach, add more milk-type liquid)
4 hearts of palm (i used jarred; do they come any other way?)
2 tsp lavender
1 tsp coriander
white pepper to taste
mince the garlic, and about half of the onion (i used the food processor). over medium heat, sauté with the tablespoon butter (also optionally half of the lavender and coriander); when the butter is melted, add the flour, stirring constantly, until it makes a roux. thin out the roux by adding coconut milk (in several portions, stirring each time), and some of the broth. add the spinach and let simmer.
dice the other half of the onion and sauté with oil or butter in a skillet, until much reduced and caramelised, add into to the soup, add the rest of the broth, and season with white pepper. now let the soup cool a bit, and run it through the food processor (or immersion blender) until smooth.
slice the hearts of palm moderately thinly and sauté with oil or butter in a skillet, seasoning with the rest of the lavender and coriander, until they are soft and/or just starting to brown. add into the already-blended soup, and continue cooking over medium heat until the soup reaches the desired thickness and the hearts have lost most of their sharp bite.
makes 2 generous servings, or 4 small ones.