Soups: French Spring Soup

By JoFClark

Ingredients

• 2 T butter (olive oil or coconut oil)
• 1 onion (medium, chopped)
• 3 leeks (baby, or 1 medium leek, thinly sliced, white and light green parts only)
• 1 small carrot (thinly sliced)
• 1 stalk celery (chopped)
• 1 red bell pepper (small, seeded and chopped)
• 4 oz shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
• 2 Yukon gold potatoes (small, peeled and diced)
• 1 baby boy chow (Shanghai boy chow, thinly sliced including leaves)
• 3 radishes (very thinly sliced)
• 10 asparagus spears (tender parts only, 1" pieces)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 t fish sauce (optional for vegan or vegetarian)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme leaves (leaves only)
• 3/4 cup quinoa
• sherry
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 handful spinach leaves (stems removed, sliced chiffonade)
• croutons (small or homemade)
• sea salt
• cilantro (chopped for garnish)

Details

Level of difficulty Average
Cost Average budget

Preparation

Step 1

Heat butter or oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium until shimmering. Add leeks, carrots, celery, peppers and mushrooms, stirring to coat in the oil. Saute until mushrooms have started giving off their liquid, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Toss in a pinch of salt and add the potatoes, box chow, radishes, asparagus and sugar snap peas to the pot. Stir well and cook until the green vegetables are bright green but still crisp.

Step 3

Add a bit of the vegetable broth - just to cover the vegetables - and add the fish sauce, bay leaves and thyme. Turn heat to medium-high. Add the remaining broth. When the broth comes to a gentle boil, add the quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 4

After 15 minutes, remove the cover and check the quinoa for doneness: the quinoa should be giving off little tiny rings (this is the germ separating from the kernel).

Step 5

When the quinoa is cooked, reduce heat to low and add the sherry, coconut milk and spinach, and let fresh for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Step 6

Create a single layer of croutons in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle soup on top, and garnish with cilantro, if using.