Healthy soup atones for food sins
I have been in possession recently of a very large can of peanuts. I take out a small handful, put the lid back on, put the can away and crunch away. Then I take out the can again, remove another small handful, put the can away and eat those. Then I do it one more time.
All of this is to explain why I’d been craving a cleansing soup, a bracing soup, a soup that feels almost acerbic in nature. A soup that makes me feel a bit less guilty about pulling out that peanut can yet one more time. And while this soup is all of that, it’s also delicious, and doesn’t feel punishing in the slightest.
Escarole is a leafy green vegetable and member of the chicory family, along with frisée, endive and Belgian endive. Sometimes called broadleaved endive, escarole has broad, curly green leaves and a slightly bitter flavour.
To make the soup more substantial, you can add a can of rinsed and drained white beans, such as navy or cannellini.
And now, maybe I’ll have one more small bowl.
Escarole and Spinach Soup
Preparation time: 40 minutes Makes: 8 to 10 servings
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 cups roughly chopped escarole, rinsed and excess water shaken off
4 cups less-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (optional)
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
10 ounces baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Heat the oil in a heavy, large pot or Dutch oven at medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and saute until the onion is tender and golden brown, about eight minutes.
Turn the heat to medium-high, add the escarole, and cook, stirring occasionally for four minutes, until the escarole is wilted. Add the broth, beans (if using) and tomatoes, and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the escarole is tender, about 20 minutes.
Add the spinach and stir until the spinach is wilted, about two minutes. Adjust the seasonings. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese if desired, and serve hot. Note: You can substitute radicchio, spinach, or arugula for the escarole. Other members of the chicory family can be substituted, such as curly endive. You could also consider mustard greens and borage.