NOW WE'RE COOKING: Hearts of palm soup

February 16, 2012

My friend Emanuella Grinberg had brought to my attention that I have not written about any vegetarian recipes. So I asked my self, "Self, what is your favorite meatless meal?" And this is one that I adore. This soup is perfect on a cold, rainy day with a big piece of crusty bread. Emanuella, this one's for you.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large leek, sliced
1 tablespoon flour
4 cups chicken stock (use vegetable stock if you want to keep strictly vegetarian)
12 oz. potatoes, peeled and cubed (any potato will work, less than a pound)
2 cans (14 oz.) hearts of palm, drained and sliced (you can also buy them pre-sliced to save time)
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Cayenne pepper to garnish (optional)

1) You know my rule, cut all of your veggies first. It makes things easy-peasy. Prepping ahead of time will save you from time management issues in the kitchen.

Tip: Have you ever cooked with leeks? It has an onion-like flavor. If not, let me tell you how to clean them. Chop the roots and leafy top off. Cut down the middle of the leek (hot dog style), then slice into pieces. Soak the leeks in a bowl of lukewarm water. As the plant grows, it trapped dirt and sand under its layers — and if you don't clean them, you'll cook that in your food. After getting all of the dirt out, strain the leeks and cook them as needed.

Soak leeks in water to get rid of any dirt or sand. by Meghan Kotowski

2) Now that that is out of the way, heat the butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leek and onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and let cook for 10 minutes, or until soft and translucent.

Cook onions and leeks until translucent and soft. by Meghan Kotowski

3) Sprinkle in the flour. Cook and stir for about a minute. This will help to thicken the soup.

4) Add chicken stock and and potatoes. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn the heat down to about medium-low to simmer for 10 minutes.

Add chicken (or vegetable) stock and potatoes to the party. by Meghan Kotowski

5) Stir in hearts of palm and heavy cream. Continue simmering for another 10 minutes.

Add hearts of palm and heavy cream. by Meghan Kotowski

6) When everyone is heated through in the hot tub, ladle soup into a blender or food processor until blended. It may need to be in batches, which is a-OK. Put the soup back in the pot to heat through again.

7) Season with salt and pepper to your preference. Fill up a bowl, sprinkle a dash of cayenne pepper on top and enjoy.

Ladle soup into a bowl, sprinkle with cayenne pepper and eat your heart out. by Meghan Kotowski

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