Sea Spinach and Rosemary Soup
The trick with these green soups is not to add the greens until the last minute, otherwise they will overcook, and the soup will lose its fresh taste and bright green colour. For a simple spinach soup, omit the rosemary and add a little freshly grated nut
SERVES
6
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
11
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
15
MINUTES
Ingredients
50g butter
110g onion, peeled and chopped
150g potatoes, peeled and chopped
600ml homemade chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
425-600ml creamy milk (1/4 cream and 3/4 milk)
salt and freshly ground pepper
225-350g sea spinach, destalked and chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)
To garnish
2 tbsp whipped cream (optional)
sprig of rosemary or rosemary flowers
Method
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. When it foams, add the onions and potatoes and turn them until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes.
Add the boiling stock and milk, bring back to the boil and simmer until the potatoes and onions are fully cooked. Add the sea spinach and boil with the lid off for about 3-5 minutes, until the sea spinach is tender. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh green colour. Add the chopped rosemary if using. Liquidise and taste.
Serve in warm bowls garnished with a blob of whipped cream and a sprig of rosemary. If you have a pretty rosemary bush in bloom, sprinkle a few flowers over the top for extra pzazz.
Useful Tip:Â If you need to reheat a green soup, do so at the last minute. If it sits in a bain-marie or hostess trolley it will lose its lively colour. Use mustard greens or a proportion of mustard greens, red Russian kale is also delicious.
Serve with crusty bread or Cheddar cheese scones.
