Before setting off to my local farmers market each week, I inventory the fridge and decide how to use up the last week's vegetables before shopping for fresh produce. Here's what I found this week:
arugula
bok choy
cilantro
carrots
leek
celery
Since we're having a heat wave in San Francisco, I chose to make a batch of chilled green soup to enjoy in the warm evenings. When the weather turns cold, the soup can be heated. I don't measure the ingredients but for the recipe I created rough estimates.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups baby arugula leaves
2 cups baby bok choy
1 handful cilantro, with stems chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 inches white part leek & 2 inches green part leek
1 stalk celery, chopped
fresh water to cover
juice of one lemon or lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon smooth unsalted nut butter (cashew, almond, tahini, etc.)
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
METHOD:
Place vegetables in a pot and add enough water to cover.
Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently on low heat for about 5 minutes.
When carrots are slightly tender, turn off heat.
Let soup cool.
Puree vegetables and broth in batches in blender or processor, adding lemon/ lime juice, olive oil, nut butter, sea salt and black pepper.
Taste and correct seasoning.
This is an intensely concentrated, strongly flavored soup; its edge can be mellowed by the addition of some unsweetened nut milk or soy milk.
Chill in fridge in small glass jars; will keep for up to five days.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
Serve in chilled bowls as is, or garnish with your choice of chopped toasted almonds, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, avocado cubes, red pepper flakes, turmeric, fresh dill, lemon or lime slices, yoghurt etc....
