Spring is officially here, but since soup is my favorite category of food, I'm going to squeeze a few more in before it gets DC swamp ass hot! I found out about the recipe below because my co-worker, Erica, brought in some left overs from a "soup party" that she had yesterday. I had a little bowl for lunch and it was wonderful! She was gracious enough to send me the recipe and I was immediately drawn to it because it has three ingredients that I LOVE but rarely use: fennel, leeks and tarragon.I'm thinking about making this tomorrow, but my vegan life-partner won't be able to experience it because of the butter and chevre (goat cheese). Does anyone out there have any good suggestions for substitutes for these two ingredients? And by anyone, I mostly mean Corinne because you are the only one who might look at this blog and BONUS, you're vegan too!
3 leeks, trimmed and split lengthwise
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
½ fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, cored and sliced 1/8 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1 russet potato, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
8c. firmly packed fresh spinach, washed, drained and stems removed (two 16oz. pre-packaged bags of spinach worked fine here; just remove stems)
1c. (4 oz.) chevre, crumbled/ cut into pieces
1. Rinse, drain and slice the leeks (white parts included) into ¼ inch half-rounds.
2. Heat the butter and oil over medium-low heat in a large saucepan and add the onion and leeks. Cook and stir about 10 minutes until the onion and leeks are soft.
3. Add celery and fennel and cook and stir about 5 minutes longer. Add the garlic and cook and stir about 2 minutes more.
4. Add the broth, potato, basil, tarragon, salt and pepper and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 35-40 minutes, uncovered, until the potato is tender and the flavors have developed.
5. Add the spinach and cook and stir until the spinach has wilted. Remove the soup from heat and allow it to cool slightly.
6. Working in batches, place some of the soup in the bowl of a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade and puree until smooth.
7. Add the chevre and puree about 1 minute more, until the cheese is well-blended and the soup is smooth.
8. Return the mixture to the pot. Reheat if necessary over low heat while stirring constantly. Serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate until ready to reheat and serve.
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
½ fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, cored and sliced 1/8 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1 russet potato, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
8c. firmly packed fresh spinach, washed, drained and stems removed (two 16oz. pre-packaged bags of spinach worked fine here; just remove stems)
1c. (4 oz.) chevre, crumbled/ cut into pieces
1. Rinse, drain and slice the leeks (white parts included) into ¼ inch half-rounds.
2. Heat the butter and oil over medium-low heat in a large saucepan and add the onion and leeks. Cook and stir about 10 minutes until the onion and leeks are soft.
3. Add celery and fennel and cook and stir about 5 minutes longer. Add the garlic and cook and stir about 2 minutes more.
4. Add the broth, potato, basil, tarragon, salt and pepper and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 35-40 minutes, uncovered, until the potato is tender and the flavors have developed.
5. Add the spinach and cook and stir until the spinach has wilted. Remove the soup from heat and allow it to cool slightly.
6. Working in batches, place some of the soup in the bowl of a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade and puree until smooth.
7. Add the chevre and puree about 1 minute more, until the cheese is well-blended and the soup is smooth.
8. Return the mixture to the pot. Reheat if necessary over low heat while stirring constantly. Serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate until ready to reheat and serve.
