Two Soups from Chez Panisse: Green Garlic/ Watercress Soups 🌞
GREEN GARLIC SOUP

1 pound green garlic (about 8 to 10 plants)
½ pound potatoes (Yellow Finn, Yukon Gold, or some other tasty variety)
2 medium onions
¼ pound unsalted butter
Salt
2 quarts chicken stock
To clean and prepare the garlic, trim away the root end and peel away any
tough or dirty outer leaves. Cut away the tough upper portion of the green
leaf; unless very tough, the lower couple of inches of greens are fine to use.
Cut the clean garlic into thin rounds or half-circles. Peel the potatoes and
cut into ½-inch cubes. Peel and chop the onions into small dice. Melt the
butter in a heavy-bottomed pot, add the onion, and cook slowly until
translucent and tender. Salt, and add the garlic and potatoes. Cook these
together for 5 minutes, then pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Lower the
heat to a simmer and cook the soup until the potatoes are tender. Check the
seasoning. This soup can be served rustic and chunky, or puréedeither
way is delicious.
Serves 6.
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WATERCRESS SOUP

2 bunches watercress (about 1 pound)
1 yellow onion
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chicken stock or water
A few parsley leaves
A few tarragon leaves
Salt and pepper
Crème fraîche
Pick through the watercress and discard any thick stems.
Peel and slice the onion and garlic thin and stew them in the olive oil,
covered, until soft and translucent. Add the chicken stock, bring to a simmer
and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the parsley. Have
ready a large bowl half filled with ice and a smaller bowl, preferably
stainless steel, that will nest inside it and rest on the ice.
Remove the soup from the heat, add the watercress and tarragon, and
allow the soup to stand for 5 minutes, no longer. Immediately purée the
soup in a blender and pour it through a medium-fine sieve into the bowl on
ice. Stir the soup until it is at room temperature, then remove it from the ice
and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Both recipes from "
Chez Panisse"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/152708.Chez_Panisse_Caf_Cookbook
Sluuurp! Enjoy!