Sunday, January 31, 2010

Can spinach soup cure a sore throat and an aching body?



This is not a great way to spend a Sunday. I think I'm getting a cold. My throat is sore, my body aches and I'm freezing cold.
I have buried myself under a blanket with a hot cup of tea, and I'm planning on staying under this blanket until I feel better. Or at least for another hour or so.

I made spinach soup last week and it was really good, and I'm think I might make it again today. It's so easy to make, it's hearty and tastes great. What more can you ask for in a simple soup, really?

Spinach soup

1 pound fresh spinach, rinsed and stalks removed (if you are using baby spinach, you don't have to bother about removing the stalks)
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream (or half a cup of heavy cream and half a cup of milk if you want to use less fat)
1 tbsp dried basil
juice from one lemon
salt and pepper to taste.

Hard boiled eggs if youlike them in your spinach soup.

Saute the spinach in a pot with a little oil.
After a few minutes, the spinach will collapse. Then you add the vegetable stock and basil, and bring the soup to a boil. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Add cream, and add salt and pepper to taste. Bring soup to a boil again, remove it from the plate and add the lemon juice.
NOTE: Don't bring the soup to a boil after you have added the lemon juice. The lemon juice will make the cream (or milk) separate if you bring it to a boil.

In blender or food processor, puree until smooth. Serve immediately.
I serve my soup with a hard boiled egg in the middle of the soup bowl. You could cut the egg in two to showcase the yellow wgg yolk. It would look beautiful against the green soup. But on this particular day, I was very hungry and my main priority was to get myself fed.

1 comment:

Jane Kaylor said...

sore throat is not a lot of fun its just uncomfortable and difficult to swallow.

usually, i would take the Nim Jiom Cough Syrup (www.geocities.jp/ninjiom_hong_kong/index_e.htm ) which has a thick consistency formulation. it coats the throat and includes herbs that are particularly good for that application.