Recipe #41 Garlic Scape Soup

Ingredients:

2 tbsp clarified butter or extra virgin olive oil

2 dozen garlic scapes, flower buds discarded and green shoots chopped

3 large russet potatoes, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 inch dice

5 cups vegetable stock or water (or a combination of both)

2 large handfuls of spinach leaves, stemmed

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt

Freshly ground black petter

1/2 cup heavy cream or half/half

Chive blossoms for garish (optional)


Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the scapes and saute for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and stock, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked throught and beginning to break down.


Remove from the heat, add the spinach, and puree using a hand blender. (If you use a conventional blender, be careful; the hot liquid can burst out the top and make a huge, potentially painful mess. Try leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Cover the top with a kitchen town and blend in batches at low speed. Season with lemon juice, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Whisk in the cream a silkier texture. Add salt pinches at a time.


Serves 4 to 6


This recipe is taken from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson.