Green Soup with Ginger Recipe
From the new Anna Thomas cookbook, Love Soup - a soup cramming more spinach, leeks, sweet potatoes and chard into each bowl than I ever thought possible.
I think it must have been the combination of daybreak pain au chocolates, afternoon tarts, and twilight glasses of Chablis that sent me scrambling for my favorite soup recipes upon arriving home from Paris. Because that's what happened. I've been making soup and stews - big pots - for the past week. Hearty, rustic, chunky soups full of greens and grains and flavor. Remember this lentil soup from a while back? Made that. The cabbage soup? Made that too. But I also made this Green Soup with Ginger from the new Anna Thomas book, Love Soup. It has a short list of ingredients - onions, leeks, spinach, chard, sweet potatoes and ginger - and it's the kind of thing that makes you feel good. I'm not sure it's possible to pack more greens into a single pot.
I should mention that Anna has a long track record of writing much-loved recipes. She wrote The Vegetarian Epicure in 1973, a classic, while she was a graduate student in film production at UCLA. I'm sure many of you know it well.
For those of you interested in knowing a bit more about the new book, all the recipes in Love Soup are vegetarian, many vegan. If you've ever wondered what to do with this ingredient or that in your farm box - from golden beets to purple cauliflower, this book is a nice catalog of ideas. I made her deconstructed hummus soup before we left for Paris, also good.
The book is 525 pages, b/w with illustrations, no photos. The soups are seasonally organized, and most are as approachable as the one I'm featuring today - unfussy instructions, achievable ingredient lists. Anna also includes a few salad, bread, and sweet recipes to close out the volume.
Let me know if any of you have tried any of the recipes from Love Soup yet. It'll help me decided which one to try next. -h
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Green Soup with Ginger Recipe
I made my own tweaks to Anna's soup, and my version is as follows. The main difference was that the soup was so pretty after cooking (see photos), that I decided not to puree mine at the last minute. But I did puree the leftovers (also delicious!), just a different soup altogether. It's up to you really. Anna also mentions that she sometimes adds a bit of miso or tamari at the very end to deepen the flavor, but you should add it sparingly, and taste as you go.
1 large yellow onion (250g)
2 tablespoons (30 ml.) olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
1 large sweet potato (12 ounces; 350 g)
1 large leek, white and light green parts (5 ounces; 140 g)
1 bunch spinach (8 ounces; 225 g)
1 large bunch green chard (12 ounces; 350 g)
3 tablespoons (30 g) chopped fresh ginger, plus more to taste
2 cups (500 ml) good-tasting vegetable broth
2-4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper
Chop the onion and cook it slowly in the olive oil with a sprinkle of salt, stirring now and then, over low heat until it is soft and golden, about half an hour.
Meanwhile, peel and dice the sweet potato and put it in a large soup pot with 4 cups (1 liter) water and a teaspoon of sea salt. Thoroughly wash the leek, spinach, and chard, chop them coarsely, and add them to the pot, along with the chopped ginger.
Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the soup, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender. Add the caramelized onions when they are ready. When the vegetables are soft, add the vegetable broth (you can add less if you like a thicker soup) and decide whether you want your soup chunky, like this, or smooth. If the latter, puree the soup in a blender, in batches, or with an immersion blender until it is smooth.
Stir in 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste, and correct the seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice.
Serves 5-6.
This recipe was adapted from Love Soup by Anna Thomas. Published by W. W. Norton & Company; September 2009. For those of you who want to get books signed, Anna is visiting quite a number of California book stores throughout October and November, more info here.
Prep time: 10 minutes - Cook time: 30 minutes
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Comments
Hi Heidi, I will have to try that soup and look for that book. I eat primarily vegetarian now, almost vegan so that is the kind of book I'm looking for. Perfect! Have a great weekend! -E
I used this as inspiration for my lunch today, using what I have at the house right now. I chopped up an onion, sauteed in olive oil, chopped four cloves of garlic and tossed in once onions were mostly soft (about 15 min), added a can of Garbanzo Beans (Chick peas), cooked for about 10-15 minutes to soften them up, added a can of whole spinach and one dried ancho chili. It is now simmering away on the stove top. I plan to add fresh lemon zest & juice just prior to serving to brighten it up. It's already tasting delish!
I love Anna Thomas. Her Vegetarian Epicure Book 2 is one of my favorites. Just got Love Soup--am excited to try things out. Will probably start with the green soup with mushrooms. :) Thanks for the post--beautiful photos!
This soup looks so wholesome!
I did like it i had seen this recipe yesterday itself I made it yesterday and it was mindblowing
Oh, I loved (and still love) those Anna Thomas books! I have The Vegetarian Epicure, books 1 and 2 -- got them in the 70s. So ahead of their time, and so great. I'm glad I saw your post; had no idea she has a new book out. Your soup looks wonderful; I'm a huge fan of both greens and ginger, so it's right up my alley, and the weather's turning colder here in IL . . .
Reading about soup makes me want to eat soup every time. A big batch of lentil with maybe a homemade loaf ciabatta seems like a nice way to spend this Sunday.
Heidi, I love your idea of keeping it not-pureed. If I make this (which hopefully I will, and soon), I think I'll have to puree half and not puree the other half. Mmm; lots of greens in soup are so terrific.
I will definitely be making this! Gorgeous!
This soup looks savory, earthy, warm and wonderful. Thank you for the recipe and your photographs look particularly delicious to me on this gray, cool October 1st in Vermont. -Michaela
This time of the year screams for soup.... Not sure if you susbscribe to Fine Cooking magazine, but issue 101 has a great soup from Ellie Krieger. Called Autumn Soup - with butternut squash, kale, garbanzo beans.... It is absolutely delicious...
I wore mittens on my morning dog walk today for the first time...that means soup weather so this post is perfect, thanks!
Oooh this soup looks delicious!
I love soups with greens. Will have to try this one.
I have the ingredients (I'm missing) on my grocery list. I wish I could make it right this very minute!
This recipe looks awesomely different and delicious. A big soup lover - I'll definitely be trying this :-)
Mmmmh it sounds delicious ! (I sent you an email about your trip in Paris - I live in Belgium and told you it would be a pleasure to be your guide in Brussels - but I didn't understand you had left France before my email...) A new reader... Valerie from Belgium !
Wow, I love the look of this recipe! I just called Christian and told him about it. Maybe he'll make it in the restaurant later :)
I love your soups! I think of everything you post, those are what I make the most of. The rustic cabbage soup you've linked to is a favorite of ours - I've made it at least 10 times!
Sounds like a great book, I'll have to check it out. Right after I make this delicious looking soup - perfect for the cold nights we're starting to have!
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