winter detox soup
I’ll start by saying that I promise you this soup is delicious. I wouldn’t put it here if it wasn’t. The lack of potatoes or cream triggers (at least in my Midwestern brain) that it’s healthy and tastes like it—not in a positive way. But, that simply is not the case. The key to this soup is deeply caramelizing your onions. I mean deeply. This will require about 30-40 minutes to bring the onions to a dark, caramel color. You can speed this process along by cooking them over medium heat, so that the onions really sizzle. You don’t need to be stirring the whole time, but as the bottom of the pan begins to brown, deglaze with 1/4-1/2 cup of water and scrape the bottom. Repeat this step multiple times in the cooking process. The water will help further break down the onions and allow you to cook at a higher heat. If you go low and slow, this could take hours. The success of this soup rests on really caramelizing yours onions so be patient! Chicken stock, in addition to the onions, provide a super savory base and without them, it could taste too vegetal.
You could make this recipe vegan by substituting vegetable stock for chicken stock and leaving off the labneh. It won’t be quite as savory, but it will still be delicious.
Tools needed: a medium heavy bottomed pot, a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, and a blender, or immersion blender. Don’t use a food processor or make this without blending. If the end product isn’t smooth enough, it is not going to be too fibrous and not very tasty. The flavors all come together in the blending.
Ingredients:
For the soup:
2 white onions
1 bunch kale, de-ribbed
2 cups spinach, raw
2-3 cups chicken stock
1/2 lemon, juiced
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
For garnish:
Labneh, crema, or sour cream thinned out with a little bit of water
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
sprinkle of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
chopped herbs for garnish (I used parsley and dill but green onion would be nice, as well)
Step 1:
Thinly slice your onions. Although they’ll eventually be blended, slicing thin will help them cook more quickly. Place a pot over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil, and the onions. Season with salt and allow to cook. You don’t need to stir them constantly but give them a stir every 5 minutes, or so to ensure that they’re browning evenly and not burning. As the bottom of the pot begins to brown, deglaze with 1/4-1/2 cup of water and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the fond is dislodged. It might seem like a lot of water, but it will reduce, and help the onions break down. This should take about 40 minutes for them to go from raw to a deep caramel color.
Step 2:
De-rib and wash your kale. Cut into 1” ribbons to help it cook and blend more easily. Add the kale and spinach to the pot with the caramelized onions. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes, or until completely wilted. Add the chicken stock and allow to cool slightly. If you are using an immersion blender, you do not need to let the soup cool. Simple blend in the pot, off heat.
Step 3:
While the soup cools, prepare your toppings. Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil into a small sauté pan and place over medium heat. Heat oil until it is just starting to shimmer (don’t let it get too hot, or the oil will burn). Add the pumpkin seeds and curry powder. Keep the pan on the heat and stir constantly for 3-5 minutes. Once the seeds begin to brown, remove from heat, and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Spread the seeds in an even layer on the plate and season with salt and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. You could also toss the raw seeds in oil, curry powder, cayenne pepper, and salt, spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
Step 4:
Once the soup has cooled off, transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon and taste for seasoning. Adjust accordingly. Place soup back over heat to warm. Serve the soup with a drizzle of labneh, and a sprinkle of herbs and spiced pumpkin seeds.