Spring Green Soup, Featuring French Sorrel

As you may have noticed, our communal plot at East Hollywood Community Garden has an abundance of gorgeous French sorrel.

• The plant is part of the buckwheat family and is commonly used in soups, salads, and sauce
• It is notable for its tart, citrusy flavor. 
• French sorrel's health properties are abundant due to its high content of vitamins C and A, magnesium, and fiber. 
• It’s also rich in antioxidants to combat heart disease, promote healthy digestion, and aid in reducing inflammation. 

I love this powerhouse perennial plant and hope this soup inspires you to experiment cooking with it at home.

Serves 6-8

Total Time: 45 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 1/2 stalks celery, chopped
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 serrano pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
1 russet potato, chopped
1 1/2 cups broccoli
6 cups water
2, 15-oz cans coconut milk
2 cups sorrel, chopped
2 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Garnish (optional)
Cilantro, chopped
Toasted coconut
Croutons
Chive oil

Preparation

Step 1:
In a pot over medium heat, add coconut oil, onion, celery, ginger, garlic, Serrano pepper and yellow curry powder. 

Cook, stirring occasionally until everything softens, 5-7 minutes. 

Add the potato, broccoli, water, 1 1/2 cans coconut milk and stir, making sure to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. 

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are soft, 20-25 minutes. Stir in the sorrel, spinach and salt. 

Remove from the heat.

Step 2:
Blend the soup to desired consistency. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Step 3:
Serve the soup with remaining 1/2 can coconut milk, cilantro, toasted coconut and croutons on the side for guests to add as they prefer.

Pro Tips: 

• Feel free to substitute any greens you like for the spinach, such as kale, collard greens, broccoli leaves, Swiss chard, or a mix thereof.
• I used water in this recipe, but I also recommend using chicken stock or dashi to boost the flavor profile. 
• Don’t have broccoli? No problem! You can substitute cauliflower, green cabbage, Brussels sprouts, or a mix thereof.
• Don’t like coconut? No problem! Feel free to substitute the coconut milk with regular milk, heavy cream, or your favorite unsweetened nut milk. Just note that the fat content of coconut milk gives the soup its velvety consistency.
• Consider adding add-ins, such as garbanzo beans, shredded chicken, or tofu, to give the soup some heft.
• The soup freezes well, making it great for large batch cooking.

Recipe from Louise, plot 5

Classic Summer Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

2 pounds of sauce tomatoes (I used Roma)
1 yellow onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
Splash of red wine (optional)
1/2 chopped parsley and/or basil leaves, plus more for serving
Salt and pepper, to taste
Grated parmesan, to taste

Preparation

Cut tomatoes into desirable sizes — larger pieces for a chunkier sauce, smaller pieces for a more smooth one. You can also always purée the sauce in a processor or blender once it's done until it reaches the consistency you want.

Add olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add onion and sauté until translucent (about 2-3 minutes) then add garlic and season with salt and pepper. If you are using red wine, add a splash once the garlic is fragrant and let it boil off. Stir in the tomatoes and bring the saucepan to high heat until most of the water boils off. Add tomato paste and mix until combined. Remove the pan from heat and add the herbs and more salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm over pasta with additional herbs as garnish and grated parmesan cheese if desired. Bon appétit!


Note: If you have an abundance of tomatoes, you can cut them into halves or quarters, freeze them on a tray, then transfer them to a ziplock or Tupperware to be used at a later date for an equally delicious fresh sauce!

Recipe from Louise

Nasturtium Pesto

Ingredients

1 cup nasturtium leaves
1 cup basil leaves
1 cup unsalted almonds
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/-3/4 cup olive oil
Juice of half lemon
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt, to taste

Preparation

Add everything to the bowl of a food processor and pulse, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. You can leave the pesto chunky or blend into a smooth paste. Also start with 1/2 cup olive oil and if you prefer a thinner pesto, add more olive oil

To make the pesto vegan, simply substitute nutritional yeast and more nuts for the cheese.

Delicious on everything from pasta, eggs, sandwiches, and even blended into salad dressing. Enjoy!

Recipe from Louise Leonard