by SallyCan
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A&M's Testing Notes:
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Expand2 tablespoons canola oil Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons butter Ask a question about this ingredient
2 medium onions, 1/2 inch dice (about 1 cup) Ask a question about this ingredient
2 large shallots, quartered lengthwise and then sliced at a 1/2 inch Ask a question about this ingredient
5 or 6 spring or green onions, including green stems, 1/2 inch slice (about 1/2 cup) Ask a question about this ingredient
5 ribs celery, cut in half lengthwise and sliced at 1/2 inch (about 2 cups) Ask a question about this ingredient
1 small carrot, sliced at 1/4 inch (about 1/2 cup). Not too much, just enough to add some contrast. Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 fennel bulb, cut to 1/2 inch dice (about 1 cup) Ask a question about this ingredient
1 or 2 medium white potatoes, peeled and cut to 1/2 inch dice (about 1 cup) Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup spring or sugar snap peas, shelled (for sugar snaps just slice any small pods 1/2 inch, and include the shell) Ask a question about this ingredient
2 quarts light chicken or vegetable broth, or water* Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup Savoy cabbage, sliced thin and then across at 1/2 inch Ask a question about this ingredient
2 cups lovage leaves, loosely packed Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup parsley, flat leaf or curly, or a mix of the two Ask a question about this ingredient
10 sprigs chive leaves (will be about 2 tablespoons chopped) Ask a question about this ingredient
2 sprigs oregano Ask a question about this ingredient
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled Ask a question about this ingredient
1/3 cup olive oil Ask a question about this ingredient
1 - 2 teaspoon kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient
*For this soup, use a light stock, and if you don't have any that you've made on hand, then scrub your vegetables really well before you prepare them and add 2 quarts plus 1 cup water to your vegetable peelings (excluding the potato peels) and parsley stems, bring to a simmer and let them cook for about 45 minutes or so. Strain, and use this for your stock. (If you've got a chicken breast around, you could add it too, and have a nicely poached breast for tomorrow's lunch, perhaps with the rest of that fennel bulb and the pea shells).
Ask a question about this stepHeat butter and canola oil over low heat in large soup pot. When butter melts, add onions, shallots and green or spring onions. Cook at a medium low heat for a minute or so, just until they start to soften. (Resist the urge to caramelize them!)
Ask a question about this stepAdd celery, carrot and fennel. Turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 2 minutes.
Ask a question about this stepAdd potatoes and broth/stock, raise the heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften, but still have some texture. While this is cooking, get started on your pistou (see instructions below).
Ask a question about this stepAdd peas and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or so. Don't let the vegetables cook too much. Try to keep them from getting so soft that they melt together. Add the sliced cabbage and turn off heat. Finish the pistou, continuing wherever you left off.
Ask a question about this stepSeason soup lightly with salt, remembering that there is salt in the pistou, and add pepper to taste.
Ask a question about this stepPistou: Soften the garlic: Place unpeeled garlic cloves in an ovenproof ramekin, add olive oil, and cook at 350 for 10 or 15 minutes, until the oil begins to bubble and the garlic inside the peels becomes golden brown and is still soft. Watch carefully, as garlic will overcook quickly and dry out. Remove from oven and let cool.
Ask a question about this stepChop the herbs: Don't be tempted to use your food processor, you'll have much more control of shape and texture with a knife, and standing there smelling the aroma of the lovage and other herbs just may be the best 10 minutes of your day. Start with the largest leaves, the lovage. Roll them up together, slice the rolled herbs, and then run your knife through the leaves first one way and then the other until they're about 1/2 inch pieces. Add the parsley to the pile and chop it all together. Add chives, and then oregano in the same way, running the knife back and forth in different directions until they all are a very fine mince, no larger than 1/8 of an inch. All together they should measure about a cup now. Place in small bowl.
Ask a question about this stepTake garlic from peels and mash/chop together with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. When it is a velvety paste, stir into herbs in bowl along with the olive oil used in cooking the garlic. Taste and add pepper and more salt if needed.
Ask a question about this stepTo serve, ladle warm soup into bowls and top with a scant teaspoon of the pistou.
Ask a question about this stepMy lovage plant is growing like crazy this year, too!
What do you use it in?
The lovage pistou is nice on top of a cracker with a little chevre.
Plan to make this tonight or tomorrow . . . really like the suggestion(s) in Step 1 about making the stock . . . and the next day's lunch! This is the perfect seasonal soup right now, because all of the primary ingredients are in the farmer's markets, and at their best! Stay tuned . . . . . ;o)
at the markets, or in the gardens...
Let me know how you like the soup...and the lunch ; )
Alas, a rather thorough search has proven that there's no lovage to be had anywhere, it seems, in the East Bay. Not even in the nurseries!! Will have to plant from seed. In the meantime, will have to make do with celery leaves. I'll console myself, however, with the addition of shallot scapes, which we get only one or two weeks every spring. They make any pistou positively divine. ;o)
Mmmm. So beautiful. I especially like Step 8 (introduction)!! ;o)
I find that I enjoy eating what I've made more if I've taken the process of making it more slowly : )
Brette is the Editorial Assistant of Food52.
I really like lovage and think it is overlooked all to often. I have a lovage plant as big as a tree this year.