Jolly Green Soup
By Catherine Lee, 19 October 2011 –
Serves 4-6
1 big bunch chard
1 bunch kale
1 bunch spring onions, sliced
1/2 bunch parsley
1 ¼ litres water
1 tsp salt, more to taste
1 large potato
2 onions, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tsp olive oil
700-900ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp lemon juice, more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
Wash greens thoroughly. Trim chard and kale from stems; slice the leaves. Combine chard, kale, green onions and parsley in soup pot with water and salt. Peel potato; cut it into big pieces and add to pot. Bring water to boil, turn down flame, and let simmer for about 30mins. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a non-stick pan; cook chopped onions slowly, with a sprinkle of salt, until golden and soft. This will take up to fortyfive minutes - don’t hurry; you only need to give them a stir once in a while, and it's the slow cooking that develops the sweetness. If you like, deglaze pan with Marsala or sherry at the end. Add the caramelized onions to the soup. Put 1 tsp oil in the pan and stir chopped garlic until it sizzles and smells great. Add garlic to pot; simmer everything for a few minutes more. Add enough broth to make the soup; puree in a blender in batches. Don’t over-process; the potatoes will get slimy if you work it too much. Return soup to pot, bring it back to a simmer, and taste. Season, add lemon juice, stir well.
Abel & Cole