Wilted Greens Soup With Crème Fraîche Food

WILTED GREENS SOUP WITH CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium. Cook onion and thyme, stirring often, until onion is translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Add potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until potato surfaces look chalky, about 2 minutes. Add broth, bring to a boil, and cook until potato is tender, 8-10 minutes. Stir in greens, peas, and sugar, remove from heat, and let sit 10 minutes to allow greens to soften. Purée soup in a blender until smooth; season with salt and pepper.
• Serve soup topped with crème fraîche and herbs.

WILTED GREENS

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with cold water. Trim and discard the greens tough stems, tear the leaves into pieces and wash them in the water. (If the greens are very dirty wash them in several changes of water.) Lift the greens from the water, and put them in a colander to drain. Set aside.
• In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned and its fat has rendered, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the scallions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the greens in batches, starting with the tougher greens, like kale, and ending with the more tender ones, like chard, stirring each batch as they wilt, before adding more. Add 1/2 cup water and cook, covered, stirring once or twice, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

HOW TO COOK ARUGULA

Steps:

• Put salted water in a pot. Put a few inches of water in the bottom of a large pot. You only need enough to create steam to wilt your arugula. To give your arugula a bit more flavor, add a pinch of salt to the pot of water.
• Heat the water to boiling. Place the pot of salted water on a stovetop burner and heat it to boiling. Then, turn the heat down so the water bubbles gently.
• Place arugula in a vegetable steamer over the boiling water. If you don't have a steamer, you can rest a metal colander or strainer inside the pot, making sure the boiling water doesn't touch it. Use as much arugula as you think you will need. Cover the pot to trap the steam inside.
• Wilt the arugula for 2-3 minutes over the water. Allow the arugula to steam for a few minutes, or until wilted to your liking. Then, carefully remove the steamer from the pot of water and serve the arugula.

LEMONY PEA AND SPINACH SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium. Add the leeks and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the vermouth and garlic, and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high.
• Once it comes to a boil, add the frozen peas and cook, stirring occasionally, just until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in the spinach until wilted. Stir in the parsley.
• Working in batches, transfer to a high-power blender and purée until creamy. (A food processor or immersion blender would work as well, though may take a little longer.) Return to the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Makes about 12 cups.)
• Divide among bowls. Add pasta, if using, then top with a dollop of crème fraiche. Drizzle generously - nay, recklessly! - with olive oil. Sprinkle with a pile of herbs; grate fresh lemon zest on top; and serve immediately.