Culinary Guides

This soup will not win any beauty contests, and we do not care one bit, because it is genuinely delicious. Plenty of garlic and onion give it backbone, and a big handful of cilantro with a squeeze of fresh lemon at the end wakes everything up. A whole head of homegrown broccoli disappears into it. Serve it with toasted sourdough and a side salad for a nourishing winter meal.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cooking fat (butter, ghee, bacon fat, or oil)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium leek, finely chopped (white and pale green parts only)
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Hefty pinch of salt and pepper
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 medium head of broccoli, stems cut into 1/4 inch chunks and head cut into bite-sized florets
• 4-5 cups chicken broth or veggie stock
• 2 bunches spinach (about six packed cups)
• 3/4 cup packed cilantro
• Fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Plain whole milk yogurt

Directions

1. Heat the cooking fat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and leek and stir occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic, a hefty pinch of salt and pepper, and the crushed red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute longer until fragrant.
4. Add the broccoli stems and florets, then pour in 4 cups of the broth. Bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 15 minutes.
6. Add the spinach and cilantro, stir well, and simmer 5 minutes longer.
7. Puree the soup in batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender in the pot, until smooth. If it seems too thick, add more broth or water.
8. Squeeze in half a lemon, or more to taste, and adjust the salt and pepper.
9. Ladle into bowls, top each with a dollop of plain whole milk yogurt, and serve with toasted sourdough.

Grower's tip: Cut the central broccoli head while the buds are still tight and deep green, before any yellow flowers begin to open. Once you take that main head, the plant keeps pushing out smaller side shoots for weeks, so a short row can feed a lot of soup.

The soup keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes for up to 3 months. Cool it fully before freezing and reheat gently on the stovetop.

This is a garden bowl start to finish. Grow a row of broccoli, a bed of spinach, a few onions, and a pot of cilantro and the whole soup comes from your own beds.