A few weeks back I bought a bunch of silverbeet on impulse. Despite hating it as a child, occasionally I try to be adult and buy the stuff. Yet every time I buy it I am at a loss for what to do with it. This time I wanted something simple. I found a
Silverbeet, Potato and Lentil Soup that sounded good. I baked some
Sweet potato and cheese scones to serve with them. It was exactly what I wanted. The soup was hearty and healthy and very satisfying.
The following day I met my friends Heather and Will for a tour of Gertrude Street's historic architecture. Miles Lewis knows his stuff and made me look at a familiar street with new eyes. Apparently the street was almost wall to wall pubs at one time. Oh the irony now that it seems to be almost wall to wall cafes and bars! I also learned that I had lived in the same street at Alfred Deakin, Australia's second prime minister.
Here are some of the lovely architectural details we saw on the walk. For those not acquainted with Gertrude Street, it is located in Fitzroy which was the first suburb of Melbourne and has lots of lovely little details to remind us of our history. Below is a sign still visible saying "teeth extracted and stopped". When was the last time you had a tooth "stopped"?
It was a perfect autumn day for walking about Fitzroy. After the tour, we strolled along Brunswick Street to
Yong Green Food for a lovely raw lunch. (More about that soon.) It was a long walk and when I got home I was glad of some leftover simple silverbeet soup for dinner.
I am sending this soup to Simona from
Briciole for
Weekend Herb Blogging #383, the weekly event coordinated by
Haalo and founded by
Kalyn.
Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago:
FFF Zucchini slice - a childhood favourite
Two years ago:
PPN Avocado Pasta
Three years ago:
St Nigel's Brownies
Four years ago:
Mothering, Stew and Bread
Five years ago:
Mum’s Banana Cake
Silverbeet, lentil and potato soup
inspired by
Best Home Chef
Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots
2 garlic cloves, crushed
6 cups of water
2 tsp salt
few drops of worcestershire sauce
1 cup dried red lentils
5 smallish potatoes, diced
bunch of silverbeet (chard), chopped (stalks and leaves separate)
juice of 1 lemon
freshly ground black pepper to serve
Heat oil in a stockpot. Fry onion, carrots and garlic cloves for about 5 minutes. Add water, salt, worcestershire sauce, lentils, potatoes and silverbeet stalks. Taste and adjust seasoning. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add silverbeet leaves and simmer for another 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Serve black pepper
On the Stereo:
Folk Radio UK April Covermount podcast
This looks lovely! I don't suppose I could entice you into my Let there be Legumes challenge?
ReplyDeleteThanks Catherine - have another recipe for your challenge so planning to join in
DeleteTeeth extracted and stopped eh? Thank goodness our ideas about teeth staying in our head has changed over the years!
ReplyDeleteThanks Brydie - it is a reminder that we have less physical pain these days!
DeleteSounds like a great soup, and great combination of ingredients. And I'm surprised that you of all people would have trouble knowing what to do with the silverbeet! I love it in salads or used as raw wraps. . . and soup sounds lovely, of course. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ricki - I find it so much easier to think about what to do with spinach or kale than silverbeet - indeed the idea of eating silverbeet raw still just makes me shudder - but i have come a long way since my childhood :-)
DeleteI went to Alred Deakin High School! Represent!
ReplyDeleteThanks Hannah - I guess in Canberra you can't avoid schools named after former prime ministers :-)
DeleteI too am an impulsive vegetable shopper - esp at markets. I cannot control myself! Not a bad problem to have though.. Especially on crisper clean outs.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cass - I bought purple cauliflower on impulse today even though we had one in the fridge! I figure it is better than being an impulsive shoe shopper :-)
DeleteThis soup sounds very hearty and satisfying for the coming cold weather.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cakelaw - soup weather is really setting in this week - need more of these sort of meals
DeleteI must confess that I don't like silverbeet much either. My Australian grandparents grew it and so when I was a child, there was always plenty to be shared. I could have done with less sharing and more non-silverbeet dishes and don't think I've bought a bunch as an adult. Still, this soup may well change my mind!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kari - my mum grew silverbeet - as a child it seemed less valuable for being from our garden - now it seems so precious if I can grow anything. A friend said to me that silverbeet is poor man's spinach but I find it a better substitute for kale because it holds its shape better than spinach - thinking about it in this way makes it easier for me to use it.
DeleteI'm trying to be better about brussel sprouts which I hated as a child but now am trying to like. And I'm curious about the raw food too! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Lorraine - I like brussel sprouts now but hated them as a child - Funnily enough I didn't hate silverbeet as much but find it harder to overcome my dislike of silverbeet than brussel sprouts. Just posted about Yong Green Food.
DeleteLove that sign! Also, interesting architecture: thanks for sharing the photos. And thanks for sharing the tasty soup with WHB!
ReplyDeleteThanks Simona - glad you enjoyed the architecture as well as the soup
DeleteI'm glad you put "chard" in brackets to explain what silverbeet is. I used to loathe it when I was a child but love it now. Your soup sounds brilliant and would be just the thing tonight. In spite of the fact that it is the middle of May, it's quite chilly and cold here in Toronto.
ReplyDelete(Eeeek!!! I'm quite afraid reading the sign "teeth extracted and stopped". It conjures up a dodgy dentist down the road from that sign who merely extracts the teeth but does nothing further.)
Thanks Elizabeth - I quite like the name "silverbeet" - sounds more magical than chard (though I like "rainbow chard") and a lumpen bunch of greens needs a magical name :-) And I don't like to think too much about the sign because it makes me a bit queasy if I do :-(
DeleteChard is my favorite green so I know I'd absolutely love this soup! Sounds like you've been out and about and enjoying fall!
ReplyDeleteThanks Joanne - definitely a soup for chard lovers - we've had a warm autumn but the weather is finally turning wintery
Delete