Thursday 19 June 2014

Greens, Beans and Potato Soup


I have mentioned that I went to a funeral recently.  It was a work colleague who had been full of kindness and generosity.  I remember walking to the market with her on our lunch break and her joy at the fruit and vegetables.  So it was no surprise to hear her friends talk about her making what she called Stone Soup.  It was the name she gave to a soup where she cleaned out any vegetables lurking in the crisper in the fridge.  Today's soup is made in that spirit.


I made this soup after visiting my parents and coming home with parsley and dill from my mum's garden.  The potatoes were growing eyes and the silverbeet was going slimy in places.  Everything had to go in the soup.  Even the parmesan on top of the soup was only there because it hadn't been eaten by Sylvia.  It was quite a grassy soup and yet it was virtuously satisfying.


I am sharing this soup with a few events:

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: MLLA Lentil ragu with chocolate chilli fettuccine
Two years ago: Limes: history, trivia and limeade
Three years ago: Kale pesto and garden update
Four years ago: SOS Beetroot and rhubarb soup
Five years ago: Refugee Week Stew
Six years ago: Great Stew of Darkness!
Seven years ago: SHF: Mud Glorious Mud

Greens, Beans and Potato Soup
serves 2-4

1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 cups vegetable stock 
330g silverbeet (chard), roughly chopped
400g (2 large) potatoes, peeled and chopped
400g tin (1 1/2 cups) cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
60g rocket (arugula)  
handful parsley and handful dill
black pepper and parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

Fry onion, garlic and carrot in the oil over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes until vegetables soften.  Add stock, potatoes and silverbeet.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 -20 minutes until vegetables are soft.  Add beans, rocket and herbs.  Cook a minute or two.  Remove from heat and puree with a hand held blender.  Serve with parmesan cheese chunks and black pepper if desired.

On the stereo: 
Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House: Wailin' Jennys

18 comments:

  1. Love this soup tribute to your coworker! And also love how green green green it is!

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  2. Thanks for linking up to Cooking with herbs, what a colourful recipe. Linzi @Lancashire Food

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  3. Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend Johanna. Though now you'll think of her often when you clear out your fridge making soup! I haven't really been inclined towards soup (other than gazpacho!) lately, what with the hot weather we've been enjoying, but this sounds like a lovely recipe.

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    1. Thanks Emma - I think I will think of my friend when emptying out the fridge crisper to make soup. I love soup in any weather but I hope you are enjoying the hot weather and lovely summer food right now!

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  4. What a great way to use up the unloved veges in the fridge!

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    1. Thanks Cakelaw - I often do this for soups and stews but thought this one was worth sharing - glad you appreciated it

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  5. Sorry to hear about your loss Johanna. What a lovely tribute to your colleague.

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    1. Thanks Lorraine - my colleague really liked her food so I think she would appreciate this.

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  6. I love the soup tribute to your friend, and the colour of this against your blog :)

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    1. Thanks Kari - yes it is just the right colour for my blog :-)

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  7. I really need to make stone soups often, because too often I am forgetting veggies and then they go manky. I should commit to a daily check of the veggie crispers. What a sweet tribute to your friend, she sounds like a lovely person.

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  8. Gotta love a soup that's full of goodness like that! :-)

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  9. What a gorgeous vibrant colour and such a healthy soup. Thanks so much for entering No Waste Food Challenge this month :)

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  10. What a nice memory and gorgeous soup. Leftovers soup can be the best. Thanks for entering it the No Croutons Required roundup is now up xx

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  11. Mmmm yum! This sounds so deliciously healthy. Thank you for sharing with the #nowastefoodchallenge

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  12. Popping over from Supergolden Bakes to say this looks so good. I love the vibrant colour and bet it tastes fantastic. Hope you will pop over and link it to my #CookBlogShare recipe round up http://www.supergoldenbakes.com/2014/06/cookblogshare-round-up-23-30-june.html

    Glad to have discovered your blog! Lucy

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