Lettuce Soup
Yes, I know. It looks a little swampish. But the thing is there’s SO MUCH lettuce coming out of my garden (a few plants bolted so badly they were almost as tall as me) and more coming each week from our CSA, and I’m just not that hip on salads at this time of year. I really can’t keep up with it all. First world problems, I know.
And so I thought – other greens make great soup, why not lettuce?
It totally works. It’s not as dense as spinach soup, it’s sort of bulkier. Which any gastroenterologist will tell you is a Good Thing. See? You can totally enjoy a warm bowl of green salad with a spoon.
Lettuce Soup
canola or olive oil, for cooking
butter, for cooking,
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 head leafy green lettuce, or a combo of lettuce, spinach, chard, kale – anything green
1 L chicken or vegetable stock
splash of cream (optional but good)
salt and pepperIn a small pot, heat a drizzle of oil and a dab of butter and saute the onion for a few minutes, until it’s soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Roughly chop the lettuce and add it (bonus! no need to get it dry after you wash it!) and add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the lettuce is nice and soft. Puree in a blender or using a hand-held immersion blender, stir in a good splash of cream and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
September 21 2011 11:33 pm | soup
the other Al on 22 Sep 2011 at 1:03 am #
uhhhhhhhh!
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) on 22 Sep 2011 at 6:04 am #
I love making lettuce soups (and sometimes I sneak in a few spinach leaves, if I find some languishing in my fridge). I often add a few red pepper flakes to mine.
molly on 22 Sep 2011 at 7:21 am #
swampish
love that!
Annie on 22 Sep 2011 at 8:41 am #
I don’t know why I never thought to make soup with lettuce. Doh-I mean I use cabbage so why not? Agreed, salad this time of year doesn’t appeal to me….thinking of it, it’s not very appealing most of the year. I’d rather try this soup. Sounds delicious!
Amanda on 22 Sep 2011 at 8:59 am #
I had the same problem with CSA celery, I got three large bunches of celery in 3 weeks. I like celery, but I was sick of ants on a log… so I found a recipe for italian celery soup… pretty good
jenna on 22 Sep 2011 at 10:44 am #
My sisters mother-in-law, who is from Austria and a fabulous cook, has made lettuce soup ever since I have known her (25 years) I wonder if her recipe developed in Austria? I will ask her when next we meet!
Oh and the apple cider vinegar in place of rice vinegar in the sweet ginger coleslaw worked fine …. many compliments were given it at the dinner I brought it too. I also grated carrots and red cabbage in for colour.
Susan on 22 Sep 2011 at 12:36 pm #
Hi Julie,
It was great to finally meet you yesterday at the CSA pick up. I told a fellow Julie fan that it was like meeting Bono, but she thought it was more like meeting Elvis. You were exactly like I thought you’d be, real and down to earth! I was so star struck that I forgot to tell you how much you’ve changed the way I cook – and live – and consume, for that matter. I have learned how to be creative with what’s already in the fridge, not running to the store and adding to the surplus which will eventually get wasted. The CSA has been a fun way to add to the challenge! But you promised something for the fava beans…..remember???? Take good care, you rock!
LisaMer on 22 Sep 2011 at 1:17 pm #
You could make green smoothies with all that lettuce!
CanadyAnna on 22 Sep 2011 at 3:27 pm #
Gee – this looks like yet another variation on the French SchoolKids’ Courgette Soup recipe I sent you – leading me to think you can probably substitute most ANY veg you have too much of in this recipe and have it work!
JulieVR on 23 Sep 2011 at 7:21 am #
CanadyAnna – got your email, sorry I haven’t responded to it yet! Yes, it’s a pretty classic soup formula, really – veg, stock, cream – the zucchini soup you wrote about sounds fabulous!
Carol SB on 23 Sep 2011 at 7:32 am #
Yup, Julie– classic soup formula, true, but leave it to you to think of lettuce.
Love it!
Amanda, I agree about Too Much Celery. I wonder if we’re in the same CSA. (BTW, Julie, without your inluence I’d never have thought about trying a CSA). My daughter and her husband are still politely thanking me for the overage, again this week… italian celery soup might be the answer.
Erica B. on 23 Sep 2011 at 11:16 am #
Yep classic formula but I never would have thought to use lettuce!
As for the celery overage-dice it up, add an equal quantity of diced onion and carrot, saute and you have a mirepoix, the basis for soooo many dishes. I’m willing to bet anyone in a CSA will be up to their elbows in squash soon. Add roasted squash to the mirepoix, and add stock and either ginger, curry powder… let it bubble away and puree it into a nice soup, enjoy some now and freeze the rest for later.
Jess on 23 Sep 2011 at 2:37 pm #
lettiuce soup!! Crazy….
Kathryn on 23 Sep 2011 at 3:03 pm #
Oh, thank you! I’ve been guiltily eyeing the ever-increasing pile of greens in my fridge from my CSA. One can only force one’s family to eat a certain number of green smoothies, salads, and heavy-on-the-greens stir fries and curries before rebellion ensues. Soup it is! Hope it freezes well, because that’s what I’m doing with it.
Lesli C-Kellow on 25 Sep 2011 at 10:34 pm #
I tried, Julie, really, but I just can`t wrap my head around lettuce soup (was that pun???)
the other Al on 26 Sep 2011 at 12:14 pm #
I’m with you Leslie, I just can’t get past the appearance. Too Shreky…
Evelyn in Canada on 27 Sep 2011 at 12:47 pm #
I don’t mind shrekky soup at all. Spinach soup, asparagus soup, sorrel soup, celery soup…it’s all good.