Green Goodness Soup

I love the premise of plate to paddock eating and cooking.  However practical issues such as location, convenience and cost means it is usually just easier to buy from the local supermarket.  So I was excited to receive some farm fresh produce last week that made it from the paddock to my plate in under 48 hours.  

My husband worked for a friend on their family Brussels Sprouts farm during the recent school holidays.  Did you read about plans for the 'Big Brussel Sprout' in the paper recently?  Yep, that's the farm!  On his last day he came home with a big bag of freshly picked sprouts. 

My first reaction was 'excellent'.  My second reaction was 'what am I going to cook with these?'  I'm not a massive fan of sprouts and had limited recipe options up my sleeve.  

But luckily the taste.com.au newspaper lift-out provided some divine inspiration with their bubble and squeak soup recipe.  I decided I wanted to lighten it up even more, primarily by using cauliflower instead of potato, omitting the cream and adding spinach to enhance the green colour and add more nutritional punch.

The end result was a beautiful winter soup using fresh and seasonal produce - what more could I ask for?

This soup has also reinforced my new love of leeks.  Don't be tempted to leave them out, they are essential to the overall taste and creaminess.

Like all soup, with just a little chopping, it all comes together quickly and easily.  I blend it up in the pot using a stick blender and I am done.  

I finished the soup with a little bacon for these photos, but haven't bothered with subsequent bowls. It is obviously a very tasty finishing touch but it isn't essential.

Recipe: Green Goodness Soup with sprouts, leek and cauliflower

adapted from: taste.com.au Bubble and Squeak Soup

30g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, white part only, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
1L chicken stock
300g Brussels Sprouts, roughly sliced
1 big handful of baby spinach leaves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to season
Bacon, diced and cooked, to serve (optional)

Melt butter and oil in a large saucepan.  Add the onion, leek and garlic and cook over medium heat until softened.
Add the stock and cauliflower and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat and cook for a further 10-15 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. 
Add the Brussels sprouts and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add baby spinach leaves, nutmeg and season to taste.  
When spinach has wilted, blend soup with a stick blender straight in the pot. 
Serve with crispy bacon croutons.

Linking up with:

Healthy Habits @ Katie Did What


Fabulous Foodie Friday @ Bake, Play Smile and Create, Bake, Make

Enjoy!

Happy cooking
Dani