LA SOUPE DU JOUR

No better time of the year for this recipe! Those grey clouds today, the very wet Cork city streets, never rains like that in Limerick, does it?
 
Soup, I believe, was originally made from all the old, wilted bits laying around. Once chopped and cooked, they were indistinguishable from its origins, and it just tasted great. Think about those trays of 50% off veggies in the Urban Coop, they would make great soup.
 
I often make soup from what’s in the fridge or pantry on the day. Soup can be made from just about anything.
 
This soup is a green vegetable soup, ‘Soupe Verte’ to my French family. It was also our go to cure whenever we were sick and needed something to eat ( literally, ‘Let thy food be thy medicine’ ).
 
It is all green vegetables, no heavy starches, no spuds. That deep chlorophyll is just so good. Any green vegetable will do but the combination of Leeks, cabbage, courgette and parsley, just makes an amazing soup.  The courgette help make the soup nice and velvety.
 
 
Enough for 4 to 6 people
 
INGREDIENTS 

• 1 leek or 2 onions
• 2 or 4 cloves of garlic, your choice 😉
• 1 courgette
• 2 to 4 cups of chopped brassicas ( cabbage, broccoli, kale, cauliflower leaves …)
• A big handful of fresh parsley
• Enough water to cover all the veggies and a little more
• 1 bay leaf and a few springs of thyme
• A little salt

 
METHOD 

1. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse well under a tap to remove any sand imbedded between the layers.
2. Chop them small along with the garlic and soften under medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil or even a little water.
3. Add the rest except the parsley and cover with enough water plus a little more.
4. Bring to the boil then simmer for approx. 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme sprigs.
6. Throw in the parsley at the end, then blend it all smooth.
7. Taste it and add a little salt and maybe a wee bit more, to your liking.

 
In this photo I show a tubs of Hungry Soul along with the bowl of soup – the Hungry Soul is optional. I sandwiched two slices of very nice sourdough bread with that Garlic & Chives cream cheese and ate it with the soup, it was absolutely gorgeous. In fact, I had to make another sandwich it was just so good. Optional perhaps, but why not enjoy life when it is so simple and so good?
 
Ingredients found in the Urban Coop – Cheese found under the sign VEGAN in the fridges.
 
Jacques … of the Hungry Soul 

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