“To be Irish is to know that in the end the world will break your heart.”
―
There is a sorrow in Irish history that is undeniable–the famine, “The Troubles,” and on and on. There is also strength and resolve and certainly humor–qualities celebrated each year in raucous Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations of Irish heritage and culture. The Irish are survivors.
This Saint Patrick’s Day, it is hard not to think that we are all Irish (or all Ukrainian), sharing as we do heartbreaking tragedies with resilience and pride in who we are and how we stand up to existential threats.
Although the color blue was originally associated with Ireland’s St. Patrick, today the color green is universally associated with that day of celebration. So, in the spirit of the day, here is an “Irish” green Spinach and Potato Soup recipe. It would be great served with Irish Soda Bread and a Guinness. A little Colcannon on the side wouldn’t hurt. The soup is delicious. It’s economical, too.
Speaking of economy, if you have a few dollars left in your market budget, might you consider a contribution to World Central Kitchen? They’ve delivered more than a million meals in Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, Hungary and Romania since the beginning of the war there. Charity Navigator gives them a 100/100 rating and Jose Andres, WCK’s founder, is surely Irish deep in his heart. Here is a link: World Central Kitchen.
This soup recipe is adapted from a BBC Good Food recipe. You can find the original recipe here.
Spinach Soup
Ingredients
- 4 T. butter
- 1 medium onion (chopped finely)
- 2 garlic cloves (chopped finely)
- 1 medium potato (peeled and chopped)
- 2 C. vegetable stock
- 2 1/2 C. milk
- 16 ounces fresh spinach (washed and roughly chopped)
- finely grated zest of half a lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- freshly grated nutmeg (or to taste)
- 3 T. heavy cream (for garnish)
Directions
- Step 1 Using a large soup pot, melt the butter and sauté the onion and garlic in the butter for about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the potato and cook for 1 more minute. Add the stock and bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the potato is beginning to soften. Add the milk and stir. Add half the spinach and the lemon zest. Continue cooking the soup for about 15 minutes. You want the spinach to be wilted and the potato to be thoroughly cooked. Remove the soup from the heat and let it cool down a bit.
- Step 2 Once the soup has cooled, add the remaining spinach and puree the soup in a blender. Alternatively, you can use a food processor or an immersion blender to puree the soup.
- Step 3 Return the soup to the soup pot and heat and serve. Add the seasonings (salt, pepper and nutmeg). Swirl cream decoratively on top of the soup.
