Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 leeks, whites and light green tops chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 small head broccoli, trimmed and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons thyme, chopped
  • 1 large russet potato, peeled and coarsely grated on large side of box grater
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
  • 12 ounces spinach, stemmed and coarsely chopped
  • A little freshly grated nutmeg, 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest plus juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Crème fraîche, to serve
  • Coarsely chopped toasted walnuts or hazelnuts, to serve
  • Shaved or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Yield

Serves: 4

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a medium soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter and melt; when it foams, add leeks and garlic, and stir 2 minutes. Add broccoli, thyme, potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Raise heat a bit and cover to sweat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add stock and bring to boil. Wilt in the spinach and season with a little freshly grated nutmeg then blend with an immersion blender or purée in batches in a food processor. Add a cup of water if soup is too thick. Adjust seasoning and add lemon zest and juice.

Serve soup in shallow bowls with a fat dollop of crème fraiche and topped with nuts and cheese.