Bright Green Soup With Quick Homemade Garlic Chili Oil Food

BRIGHT GREEN SOUP WITH QUICK HOMEMADE GARLIC-CHILI OIL

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (This pot will be used to cook the kale and broccoli.) Prepare a large bowl of ice water fitted with a fine mesh strainer.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a second large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Add the broccoli florets to the pot of boiling water and cook until crisp but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and plunge them into the bowl of ice water. Drain when fully cooled, about 1 minute.
• Stir the broccoli into the onion-and-celery mixture. Toss in the bay leaf and cover the vegetables with the broth. Cook over medium heat until the broccoli is tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the kale to the pot of boiling water, pushing the kale down with tongs to make sure it is fully submerged, and cook until crisp but still bright green, for 30 seconds. Remove with tongs and plunge the kale into the bowl of ice water. Drain and squeeze out excess water when fully cooled, about 1 minute. Set aside.
• Make the garlic-chili oil. Heat the remaining 1 cup olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Pour the garlic-chili oil into a small bowl.
• Wipe out the small saucepan. Cook the creme fraiche and 1 tablespoon finely ground pink peppercorns in the small saucepan over low heat until the creme fraiche just melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then pour it into a squeeze bottle and set aside.
• Remove the pot of soup from the heat. Discard the bay leaf and add the blanched kale. Allow the soup to cool for 5 minutes. Work in batches, transferring the soup to a high-speed or stand blender and puree until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids).
• Add the apple cider vinegar and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Squeeze a swirl of the pink creme fraiche on top. Drizzle with the garlic-chili oil and sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon finely ground pink peppercorns. Enjoy!

GREEN CHILE-CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add poblano and sweet onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, beans, enchilada sauce, salt, cumin, and coriander. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Using back of spoon, gently mash beans. Stir in chicken; continue simmering until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Garnish with radishes, sour cream, and additional cilantro. Serve immediately.

BRIGHT-GREEN PEA SOUP

Steps:

• In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the shallots and cook, covered, until they are soft and translucent. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• Add the peas and simmer 10 minutes more for fresh peas and 4 minutes for frozen, or until the peas are just heated through and still vibrant.
• Puree the mixture in a blender and pour through a wide-mesh strainer into a bowl set in a larger bowl filled with ice and cold water. Stir until cool to the touch.
• Stir in the yogurt and season with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 chilled soup bowls and garnish with sprigs of tarragon.

BRIGHT GREEN LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Trim leeks of outer layer and stems. Chop white and tender green parts into 1/2-inch chunks (discard tough gray-green parts). Soak leeks in a large bowl of lukewarm water, swishing to dislodge sand. Drain and soak again, then lift leeks from water, leaving any sediment behind.
• Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add leeks and season well with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until leeks are wilted, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add garlic, cayenne and rice and cook for 1 minute. Add hot broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Simmer until rice is very soft, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely before proceeding.
• Using a blender, purée the raw spinach with the cooled soup mixture. Strain the soup through a fine-meshed sieve, discarding any fibrous solids. Adjust seasoning and add a little grated nutmeg. Thin soup with broth or water if necessary.
• Heat soup through just before serving, to preserve the bright green color. Garnish each serving with a tablespoon of crème fraîche and a sprinkling of chives and tarragon.