ATK Spring Vegetable Soup with Charred Croutons
Entrees
Ingredients
5 ounces rustic sourdough bread, cut into 1½-inch pieces
10 cups plus 8 cups water, divided
4 cups ice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 small leek, white and light green parts sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rounds and washed thoroughly; top sliced thin and washed thoroughly
1 medium fennel bulb, cored and cut into ¼-inch pieces; fronds chopped coarse
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1½ teaspoons pepper
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds
4 cups vegetable broth
4 ounces thick asparagus spears, trimmed and sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rounds
4 ounces snap peas, strings removed, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Directions
Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Arrange bread in even layer on rimmed baking sheet, spacing pieces at least ½ inch apart, and transfer to oven. Broil until bread is charred on top, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip bread pieces and continue to broil until bottom is charred, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Bring 10 cups water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Meanwhile, set up ice bath by combining 8 cups water and ice in large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon salt, baking soda, parsley leaves, leek top, and fennel fronds to boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Drain blanched tops and parsley in fine mesh strainer or colander and immediately transfer, still in strainer, to ice bath. (Keeping the tops and parsley in the strainer or colander makes retrieving them from the ice bath much easier.)
Transfer 1 cup ice and 1 cup water to blender. Remove blanched tops and parsley from ice bath, squeeze out excess water, and transfer to blender. Process on high speed until fairly smooth, about 1 minute. Stop blender and scrape down sides of blender jar with rubber spatula. With blender running on high speed, slowly drizzle in ¼ cup oil. Continue to process until mixture is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds longer. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, transfer puree to small bowl, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil and pepper in Dutch oven over medium-low heat until pepper begins to sizzle, about 1 minute. Add leek and garlic and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 3 minutes. Add carrots and fennel and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened at edges, about 3 minutes.
Add vegetable broth, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to simmer, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer until carrots and fennel are slightly tender but still firm, about 3 minutes.
Add asparagus, snap peas, vinegar, and green puree to soup and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide soup and charred croutons among warmed shallow bowls, arranging croutons in single layer in soup (croutons should not be completely submerged in soup, so they remain crunchy on top side). Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 1178