Chicory & Rice Soup With Lemon-Chili Relish

Simple, refreshing, and perfect for a light springtime meal, this soup checks off many boxes. I love soup year-round, but I particularly love these fresh soups that can strike that tricky balance of being satisfying yet incredibly light simultaneously. This soup highlights my favorite spring veggies: garlic scapes and curly endives (frisée). Endive can be wonderfully bitter in flavor, which makes it pair well with bright flavors like garlic and lemon. I threw in some leftover cooked rice to help bulk this soup up and then topped it with the most luxurious lemon-chili relish. I cannot take credit for the relish as I was inspired to make this from Heidi Swanson’s cookbook Near & Far. The relish calls for preserved lemons, which I was lucky enough to pick up at our local farmers market from Blue Bus Cultured Foods, but you can grab a jar at most supermarkets or specialty food stores these days. And if you cannot get your hands on preserved lemons, you can make the chili oil and then serve the soup with a drizzle of fresh lemon juice and zest. There are no rules with this recipe! It’s very forgiving.

Ingredients

For the Soup

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or bacon fat
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic scapes, finely chopped (or three garlic cloves, minced)
• 3/4 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• Fat pinch of salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme (or two teaspoons of dried thyme)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 4 cups water
• 3 cups cooked rice
• 2-3 cups chopped chicory (endive, escarole, or radicchio)
• Whole milk yogurt for serving
• Salt and pepper for serving

For the Lemon-Chili Relish

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic scape, finely chopped (or one garlic clove, minced)
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (add more if you like a more potent kick)
• 1 preserved lemon, rinsed, seeded, and cut into small pieces

Directions

Prepare the Soup

1. Heat the Fat:
   Heat the butter or bacon fat over medium-high heat in a large saucepan.
2. Cook the Onions:
   Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 5 minutes.
3. Add Garlic and Sausage:
   Stir in the garlic scapes (or garlic cloves) and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the sausage and use a wooden spoon to break the meat up. Cook until it’s no longer pink on the inside and lightly browned.
4. Season and Simmer:
   Add a hefty pinch of salt, the bay leaf, and thyme. Pour in the white wine followed by the water and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
5. Add Rice and Greens:
   Add the cooked rice and continue to cook for about 10 minutes longer. Toss in the chopped chicory and stir the pot.

Prepare the Lemon-Chili Relish

1. Heat the Oil:
   Heat four tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet.
2. Infuse the Oil:
   Add the garlic scape (or garlic clove) and chili flakes. Cook, tilting the pan to swirl the oil and spices around until the chili flakes toast and infuse the oil, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
3. Add the Preserved Lemon:
   Remove the pan from the heat and add the preserved lemon pieces, pressing them into the mixture with the back of a wooden spoon.

Serve

1. Ladle the Soup:
   Serve the soup in bowls, adding a dollop of whole milk yogurt.
2. Garnish:
   Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and top with a spoonful of the lemon-chili relish.
3. Enjoy:
   Serve with toasted sourdough bread and a side salad for a complete meal.

Additional Tips

• Storage: Any leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop before serving.
• Freezing: This soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
• Variations: Feel free to substitute other leafy greens like kale or spinach for the chicory and use any cooked grain such as quinoa or barley instead of rice.
• Herb Substitutions: If you don’t have fresh thyme, you can use dried or other fresh herbs like rosemary or sage.

Enjoy this delightful and nourishing Chicory & Rice Soup With Lemon-Chili Relish, perfect for a light yet satisfying meal!