Optional: You could top with a dollop of sour cream as I did, or could top with a little fresh grated parmesan cheese.
Note: This recipe yields about 23 cups (1 cup per serving) of soup,You can cut recipe in half, or do what I did and freeze in a 4 person servings. Make sure your cooking pot is BIG! Or you can halve the recipe.Ingredients:
6-8 big shallot chunks
8 Leeks (Cut leeks just above their white part, about 2 inches. Peel the outer layer off and then slit them open lengthwise, but not completely severed clear through. Rinse them out well.)
1/3 cup of organic olive oil
2 big bunches of asparagus (cut the hard ends off about 3 inches)
3 big bunches of broccoli (cut the stems off half way up the shafts)
2 big bunches of spinach (cut off the tiny part of the dirty ends)
Six 32 oz containers of organic chicken broth (Vegetarians: use vegetable broth)
Sea salt (at least 3 tablespoons of coarse grain)
Pepper for taste
Directions:
Peel and slice shallots thinly.
Put all of the olive oil in a very large deep pot.
Turn the heat to medium-high. Put the shallots into the oil and “sweat” the shallots. “Sweating” means to cook the vegetables to tenderize them without “browning” them. Adjust heat as necessary to ensure they do not “brown.”
Add 1 tablespoon of coarse, ground, good quality sea salt to shallots to absorb while they are “sweating.”
Cut the leeks into thin slices and toss them into the oil with the shallots. “Sweat” the leeks along with the shallots.
Chop the asparagus into small bits and then add them to the mixture and “sweat” them, along with the shallots and leeks.
When the shallots, asparagus and leeks are fully “sweated” and tender, break the broccoli into small chunks and throw them into the soup pot. (Note: If the shallots, leeks and asparagus combo get too dry before they are tender, just add small amounts of chicken broth to the mix and keep on “sweating.”
Let the broccoli “sweat” a little while (about 2 minutes) and then add ½ of your organic chicken stock. Cook this for about 10 minutes.
Add remaining chicken stock and continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes. (Note: You want the broccoli to be tender, but not overcooked, and you want the color of soup to always remain a nice bright green.)
Add all of the spinach and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.
Turn the flame off the mixture and season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
Transfer the soup into a blender by increments and puree the mixture. Put the pureed soup mixture into one big pot. Then taste and season it to your liking. Only season with salt and pepper. If you desire any other seasoning, create an individual serving not in the whole pot.
Split the soup into 2 equal parts, one for you and one for your “Chubby Buddy” or for storage.
Cool the soup before refrigerating and/or freezing.
Note: You are basically adding the vegetables in order of their hardness. The spinach is so soft, you would never want to add it too early. If you do, it can make the soup turn brownish…
