After a healthy hike in the woods, an outdoor sports event, or a walk through the park, this bright flavored soup will warm up your body head to toe. A cream-based soup made of assorted greens–you can use any combination of greens such as watercress, broccoli and red chard; served with grilled halloumi cheese sandwiches. Perfect!
cream of assorted greens soup with Halloumi toast
Recipe courtesy of Christine Cushing
Makes 6 servings
soup ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
- 3 cups loosely packed spinach, trimmed and washed (4 oz)
- 3 cups loosely packed fresh Swiss chard, trimmed and washed (4 oz)
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Halloumi toast
- 6 baguette slices
- 6 slices of Halloumi cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
Soup:
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the leek, onion, celery and carrots.
- Stir and cook, for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the garlic and stir, cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, chicken stock and potato.
- Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Reduce to low and simmer for about 25 minutes or until potato is tender.
- Stir in greens just until wilted.
- In batches, purée soup in a blender.
- Return soup to a clean large pot and stir in the cream, over low heat until just hot.
- Stir in the chives and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Halloumi toast
- Toast baguette slices lightly under the broiler, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Top each slice with a piece of Halloumi and return to broiler for about 2 minutes or until cheese is golden.
- Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with Halloumi toast
