All content copyright Katrina Hall 2008 through 2025

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

fresh spinach-arugula soup and a magical garden






This morning was 39 degrees here, and after I puttered around in the kitchen making a beautiful soup from the green, green arugula and spinach I got at the farmers market Saturday I decided to visit a friend's very private garden before the frost arrives. Oh, what a delight! Meandering paths under orchards of trees I couldn't identify, comfy cabbages nestled in their nests of leaves, brilliant yellow globes of tiny quinces, and flowering arches of flowers and vines. On the way home, I looked out at Crotched Mountain, which was already showing signs of Autumn color.
It was now way past lunchtime, so I was happy to have soup waiting and a handful of seedy crackers and a chunk of cheese to sip and munch on. A perfect Fall afternoon!
To make about 3 servings of soup:
2 cups semi-packed arugula
2 cups semi-packed spinach
2 1/2 cups of water, or half stock, half water
1/2 cup diced potato
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
1/2 t. thyme
2 medium cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
a few scrapings of nutmeg
pinch of hot pepper flakes
freshly cracked pepper
kosher salt
1 T. unsalted butter, or olive oil ( but butter is better)
Place potatoes, garlic, and onion in the stock or water and simmer until potatoes are just tender.
Add the nutmeg, thyme, red pepper flakes, butter or oil, and black pepper and stir.
Add the spinach and arugula, stir, turn off heat, and cover .
Let sit for five or ten minutes then, using an immersion blender or regular blender, puree the soup until smooth. Taste and carefully add salt to your liking.
I like to eat this soup with crackers and a bottle of Tabasco handy.
Enjoy these beautiful days!

6 comments:

Susan said...

Hi Katrina,
Is that my awesome spinach in this soup? I have to try this out too.
Thanks,
Susan

katrina said...

It sure is, Susan - and it's just as wonderful as you said it would be. You're an amazing gardener!

Attilio said...

i made spinach and courgette soup similar to this yesterday and then made some wholemeal croutons which the kiddies loved dunking! will deff try the aruka (if i'm not mistaken thats what we call arugula here)
thanks becky bpbajona(at)maltanet(dot)net

katrina said...

Thanks, becky - and I'm impressed your kids liked the courgettes and spinach soup! Adding croutons is definitely kid-friendly....

Barb said...

Hi Katrina. Good news on the pumpkin front. I just read that MI has a bumper crop of pumpkins this fall and Libby harvested some 2 weeks earlier than usual and pumpkin is now on the shelf! The article said that last year's crop was not very good due to too much rain..but this year is gonna be a good one!! On that note, I made more pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (and shared them with others!!)

she's in the kitchen said...

Hi Barb! My supermarket called me with the news that they had Libby's on the shelf! I can breathe a little easier, knowing I have 8 cans stocked now, but still hoping One Pie pumpkin comes through this year.