Soup Season

I had a major over-abundance of spinach this week, which isn't my very favorite leafy green (that honor goes to kale) - what to do? Twice-baked potatoes took out one bunch, and for the next I tried a new recipe from Sunset magazine ("the guide to living in the West"). It's a potato, leek and spinach soup which they describe as "good old vichyssoise, but with spinach and without cream." Sounds suspect, I know. But it actually turned out really well - my boyfriend went back for seconds :)



Spinach, Leek and Potato Soup (From Sunset)

1 lb spinach, 1 lb leeks, 1 large Yukon Gold potato
4 cups veggie or chicken broth
Butter, salt, pepper

Trim the stems off the spinach and rinse well. Clean the leeks by slicing and placing in a bowl of cold water so that any dirt falls off. Peel and chop the potato. Cook the leeks in butter until soft, about five minutes. Add the broth and potato, bring to a boil and then simmer until potato is tender, another 10 to 15 minutes. Add the spinach and cook one more minute or until wilted. Puree in a blender or food processor in batches, reheating and thinning with broth as needed. Season with salt and pepper and serve with croutons.