Soup made from greens aka Green Soup

For the next few posts I will share what I've been eating for the last year. As a bonus we will have all these wonderful recipes in one place. No worries to the recipe originators, I always give credit where credit is due if I know the source. 

I first discovered a simple recipe for this soup in the January 2013 Reader's Digest. It's from Anna Thomas and her book, "Love Soup". The basics of the soup is using greens to make it. I use a combination of kale, spinach, Swiss chard (regular or rainbow), turnip greens and even collard greens. Just make sure you start with clean greens. If using collards, make sure you cut out the tough stems before using them. This soup is very tasty, good for you, a bowl has 2 or more servings of veggies per day and it's easy to make. The rice gives it a little body. The lemon gives it some brightness and the olive oil garnish is the last bit of added perfection. I'm not sure I will ever give this soup up. 


The basic green soup:

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 2 tablespoons plus 3 cups water, divided
• 1/4 cup arborio rice
• 1 bunch green chard (about 1 pound)
• 14 cups gently packed spinach (about 12 ounces), any tough stems trimmed
• 4 cups vegetable broth, store-bought or homemade*
• Big pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste
  
  

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons water and cover. Cook, stirring frequently until the pan cools down, and then occasionally, always covering the pan again, until the onions are greatly reduced and have a deep caramel color, 25 to 30 minutes.

 

2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 3 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a soup pot or Dutch oven; add rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Trim the white ribs out of the chard (save for another use, such as to add to a stir-fry or other soup). Coarsely chop the chard greens and spinach.

 

3. When the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, stir in the chard greens. Return to a simmer; cover and cook for 10 minutes. When the onions are caramelized, stir a little of the simmering liquid into them; add them to the rice along with the spinach, broth and cayenne. Return to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring once, until the spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes more.

4. Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until perfectly smooth or in a regular blender in batches (return it to the pot). Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, if desired. Garnish each bowl of soup with a drizzle of olive oil.

 

To make ahead: Prepare through Step 4 (omitting the lemon), cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Reprinted from Eating Well by Anna Thomas. © 2011 Eating Well, Inc.

* To make homemade vegetable stock- Save tops and pieces from carrots, onions, celery, etc. Make sure they've been washed and are now clean. Add to 6 qts of water along with 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer and let simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off heat and strain. Nothing you'll find in a box or can will ever come close to tasting this good.