Adapted from Deborah Madison’s Vegetable Literacy
For 4-6
8 cups packed trimmed
chard leaves (about 1 pound or 20 leaves)
2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 onion, sliced
1 small potato, scrubbed
and sliced
1 carrot, scrubbed and
sliced
2 Tablespoons tomato
paste
1 ½ teaspoons ground
cumin
1 teaspoon ground
coriander
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ cup sour cream or
yogurt
Freshly ground pepper
Grated zest and juice of
one lime
Rinse the chard, chop it
coarsely and set aside in a colander to drain.
Heat the oil in a soup
pot over medium heat. Add the onion, potato and carrot and cook, stirring
occasionally, for about 5 minutes, to soften. Stir in the tomato paste, smashing
it into the vegetables, and then add the cumin., coriander and chard leaves.
Sprinkle 1 ½ teaspoons salt over the top, cover the pan and allow the leaves to
cook down substantially before adding 5 cups water. Bring to a boil then lower
the heat to a simmer, cover partially, and simmer until the potato has
softened. Puree with a stick blender until smooth (you can do this right in the
pot). Add the sour cream and blend again. Return the soup to gentle heat. Taste
for salt, season with pepper, and stir in the lime zest and juice. Ladle into
bowls and serve.
