GREENER THAN GREEN GARDEN SOUP PIU VERDE ZUPPA VERDE GIARDINO VIRIDIUS QUAM VIRIDES HORTO POLIMENTI

The  Ingredients

A generous handful of spinach A pint of vegetable stock

An equally audacious handful of parsley 10 grindings of pepper

Celery leaves Plentiful sea salt

3 ounces of garden peas Silvers of parmesan

2 ounces of butter A goodly dollop of yogurt

Serves 4

Preparation Time 10 minutes

Cooking Time 30 minutes

The Italians love their vegetables which are plentiful in such a warm climate and with a fair sprinkling of rainfall, particularly in Northern Italy. They aid digestion and a healthy stomach.

In Classical times the Romans called this pottage a “a verdant gustatio”.

Your green starter for 4.

Place the spinach, parsley, celery leaves and peas in a pan and gently saute in butter for 10 minutes. Retain a little parsley to adorn the soup when about to serve. Then add the salt and pepper and the pint of vegetable stock and simmer for half an hour on a moderate heat. Leave to cool and then whizz up with a whisk or blender. You may wish to adjust your seasoning.

The humble pea is the star in this soup – adding a sprightly green colour and a little texture.

Warm up and serve your garden soup atop with the slivers of parmesan, a swirl of yogurt and sprinkle with parsley.

Cum Grano Salis

With a grain of salt

Salt was part of the salary of Roman Cohorts. Hence the phrase.

Post Views : 106