mattersoftaste.com.au

Lemon Spinach Soup

method

1. To make topping, chop bacon into 1cm pieces. Place large saucepan over medium heat. Fry bacon in 1 tablespoon olive oil for a few minutes, until starting to crisp. Meanwhile, finely chop onion then add to bacon. Fry until golden. Remove from pan and drain in sieve.
2. To make soup, roughly chop clean spinach leaves.
3. Melt butter in same saucepan. Add spinach with crushed garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper and fry briefly, turning occasionally, until wilted. Leave aside to drain in a colander.
4. Heat stock to boiling.
5. Meanwhile in same saucepan again, melt butter. When butter is bubbling, add flour and stir for a minute, until texture turns sand-like.
6. Add hot stock a little at a time at first, stirring vigorously to remove lumps between each addition. Increase amount of stock added as soup becomes more liquid, until all is added. Allow to come to a boil after each addition.
7. Add milk and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer.
8. Add cooked spinach, turn off heat. Blend until smooth.
9. When ready to serve, add lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, balancing out sourness of lemon with salt if necessary.
10. To serve, ladle hot soup into bowls and scatter with golden bacon mixture.

cooks notes

• This soup is lovely served with cheese scones, savoury muffins or a toasted cheese sandwich.
• Amount of seasoning used will depend on type of stock used. If using commercial stock, purchase the salt reduced variety and add good quality salt to the soup if needed.
• We recommend Moredough Kitchens brand of liquid stock as it is natural and low in salt. But…. good home made is best for your body.
• If pre-making soup, add lemon juice just before serving. This way the soup will remain bright green.