Green Garlic and Spinach Soup with Tarator - Chef Recipe by Simon Bryant

Ingredients

Soup:

6 bulbs (about 240 g) green garlic, with 10 cm stems
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt flakes
200 g baby spinach

Tarator:

3 slices white bread
120 g walnuts
150 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 tsp salt flakes
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp red wine vinegar

Method

Tarator:

Soak the bread in 1/2 cup (125 ml) of water for 5 minutes, then gently squeeze it dry.

Using a mortar and pestle or a food processor, pound or pulse the bread, walnuts, olive oil and salt to the consistency of chunky peanut butter, then fold in the lemon juice and vinegar.

Soup:

Peel the garlic to remove the tough outer layers, then nip off any little roots at the base. Chop the stem into 2 cm lengths and cut the bulb in half.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.

Sweat the garlic for 5 minutes or until soft, then add 1 litre of water and the salt. Bring to a simmer for 3 minutes, then fold in the spinach, using tongs to push it under the water. Remove from the heat after 30 seconds and use a stick blender to puree until smooth.

Divide the soup among bowls and dollop a couple of tablespoons of the tarator on top. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. This soup is also delicious cold.

Equipment

Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Mortar and pestle/food processor
Knife
Saucepan
Tongs
Stick blender

Credits: Recipes from the book Vegetables, Grains & Other Good Stuff by Simon Bryant, with photography by Alan Benson, published by Lantern, RRP $39.99.

Photo Credits: Recipes from the book Vegetables, Grains & Other Good Stuff by Simon Bryant, with photography by Alan Benson, published by Lantern, RRP $39.99.