Lenten Herb, or Spinach and Sorrel Soup

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Lenten Herb, or Spinach and Sorrel Soup

 

Recipe By : Beans Greens and Sweet Georgia Peaches by Damon Lee Fowler

Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Sda-Veg-Recipes2 (AT) Egroups (DOT) Com Soups & Stews

Vegan

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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1/4 pound sorrel leaves

1/4 pound spinach

1 large leek

1 large yellow onion, split, peeled, and -- thinly sliced

2 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

4 cups vegetable broth or water

1 Bouquet Garni (recipe follows)

Salt and whole white peppercorns in a mill

4 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup Buttered Croutons (recipe follows)

Bouquet Garni

1 leafy celery-stalk top

1 large sprig parsley

1 3-inch sprig thyme

1 bay leaf (fresh if possible)

Buttered Croutons

2 ounces 4 tablespoons or 1/2 stick unsalted butter

2 cups crusty bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

 

Wash the sorrel and spinach leaves, and trim off their tough stems. Put them in

a colander to drain and set aside. Remove the tough outer leaves of the leek and

trim off the upper part of its green shoots. Split it lengthwise and wash it

under cold running eater, being careful to remove all the grit and dirt. Slice

it thin.

 

Put leed, onion, and butter in a kettle that will comfortable hold all the soup

and place it over medium heat. Saute until the vegetables are wilted, about 5

minutes. Add the garlic and saute until it is fragrant, about a minute longer.

Add the broth or water, the bouquet garni, a healthy pinch of salt, and a

liberal grinding of white pepper. Let it come to a boil.

 

Meanwhile, slice the sorrel and spinach into thin strips. Add them to the kettle

as soon as the broth is boiling, let it come back to a boil, and reduce the heat

to medium low. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove

and discard the bouquet garni.

 

Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor (or, if you want to be

authentic, through a sieve or food mill). Return the soup to the kettle and

bring it back to a simmer.

 

Beat the egg yolks and lemon juice together until the mixture is smooth. Beat a

cup of the hot soup into it, then beat this mixture into the soup. Serve at once

with the buttered croutons.

 

 

Bouquet Garni

Wash the celery top and herbs, and pat them dry. Gather the celery, sprigs of

herbs, and bay leaf together. Tie them together at the bottom with a 4- to

6-inch piece of kitchen twine. If you use a dried bay leaf, tie the bundle

gently so that the leaf doesn't crumble. Then, wrap the string up and around the

bundle as you would the laces of a dancing slipper. Tie it securely at the top

of the bundle. The bouquet garni is now ready to use.

 

You might think that ties little bundle of flavoring herbs is used mostly in

Creole cooking, since it still goes by it French name. but bouquets garnis are a

common element of all Southern cooking. They are as important in a stockpot or a

Low country pilau as they are in a pot of gumbo or étouffée

 

The essential, classic core of a bouquet garni consists of a sprig of parsley, a

sprig of thyme, and a bay leaf. Often the leafy part of a celery stalk is

incorporated into it, and another herb may be used in addition to—or, depending

on the dish, instead of—the thyme. When that's the case. I have so indicated in

the individual recipe.

 

Make sure that the string you use to tie the bundle is cotton kitchen twine, and

not a coated or synthetic material.

 

Buttered Croutons

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 300

degrees F. Put the butter in a shallow pan (such as a rimmed cookie sheet or

sheet cake pan) that will hold all the bread in a single layer. Put this into

the oven to melt the butter.

 

As soon as the butter is melted, add the bread and toss until it is thoroughly

coated. Return the pan to the upper third of the oven and bake, tossing the

croutons from time to time, until they are delicately browned and crisp, about

1/2 hour.

 

Though it requires more attention, you can prepare the croutons on top of the

stove if you prefer not to heat up the oven. Put the butter in a large saute pan

or skillet over medium heat. When it is melted, add the cubed bread and toss

until it is evenly coated with the fat. Saute, tossing frequently, until they

are brown and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.

 

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NOTES : To make a vegan soup, you can use olive oil to saute the onion and leek

at the beginning, or omit the sauteing step altogether and boil the onion and

leek in the liquid until they are nearly tender before adding the other

vegetables. To give the soup body without adding eggs, substitute a medium

potato, peeled and slice thin, in step 2.

 

If abstention isn't your goal, you can also omit the egg yolks and enrich the

soup with a cup of heavy cream added before the final simmer in step 4.