Spinach and Carrot Soup
Pureed potatoes actually make for a very creamy base in this spinach soup.
If you’ve never had fresh, frost-sweetened spinach, then you’re missing out on a real treat. This winter spinach is thick and surprisingly sweet and flavorful. I could eat it raw, but it makes great salads and sandwiches. Unfortunately this week we had a bit too much of it around the house (my parents were traveling last weekend so there were less mouths to feed). So today I decided to try a riff on a tomato-based soup that I use as a quick standby in the winter by substituting with spinach and potatoes for a base. The basic idea is pretty similar – cook some vegetables like onions, carrots, green beans, etc. in the bottom of a soup pot and then add in a liquid mixture to stew it all in. Since spinach doesn’t naturally make a good base like crushed tomatoes, this soup requires a little more fussing in the kitchen, and an extra bowl (gasp!). But the end result is quite tasty. Good and good for you, as my mother would say.
Winter is the perfect time for soup, and while cracking open a can of crushed tomatoes is definitely easier than making your own spinach/potato/milk base, this soup is a nice variation on the theme. And in the end doesn’t take much longer than hunting for a can opener.
Spinach and Carrot Soup
Serves 4-6
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2-3 large carrots, chopped
1-2 clove garlic, minced
2 cups frozen green beans (or any other frozen vegetable that sound appealing to you)
2 medium potatoes
2 cups skim milk
1/2 pound spinach, chopped
15 ounces cannellini beans
cheddar cheese, grated, to garnish
In a medium pot heat the oil and garlic over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally until both vegetables begin to become tender. Add the green beans and the cannellini beans and cook covered, checking every so often to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Microwave the potatoes until they are soft. Dice them and then mash them with a fork and mix them with the milk in a medium sized bowl. You may need to heat the milk slightly in the microwave, or even try to beat the milk and potato mixture to make it smooth – if you have a food processor you can use it here, and throw in the spinach (unchopped). Add the spinach to the pot and let it steam for just a minute or two, then add the milk potato mixture and let simmer over low heat until all the vegetables are tender to your satisfaction. Garnish with a little cheese, and enjoy while it’s hot.
