Soupe de romanesco aux choux de Bruxelles et épinards, éffilochée de saumon

I love soups and can eat them every day for one month, or I hate soup and cannot eat them for one month. We have a love/hate relationship depending on the moment. As we say in French “c’est tout ou rien!”  (it’s either everything, or nothing).

Obviously I am on my soup month and since romanesco are back on the shelves, it would be too bad not to use them. Romanesco is from the cauliflower family and originated in Italy. It can be prepared like cauliflower or broccoli and I find it quite delicious.

This soup is filled with greens, topped with smoked salmon, so a nutritious and light dish and a whole meal in itself. I blended half the soup and kept some vegetables that I mixed with it at the end, to get some velvety texture combined with chunks.

I added some crème fraîche at the end but this is optional. Crème fraîche acidity goes well with smoked salmon and adds a little finished touch. But if you want to keep it dairy free, skip the cream.

Ingredients for 4

  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 romanesco, cut in florets
  • 1.2 cups, diced in quarters
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • vegetable broth (enough to cover the vegetables)
  • salt and pepper
  • smoked salmon, shredded
  • crème fraîche (optional)

Preparation

In a large pot heat olive oil, add onion and cumin. Let cook stirring for a few minutes, until onion is translucent and cumin fragrant. Add the vegetables except for the spinach, and the broth. Adjust with salt and pepper.

When the vegetables are cooked, add spinach and let cook for another 5 minutes, until wilted but still green.

Remove soup from heat and remove two ladles of vegetables from the pot, draining the broth and set vegetables aside.

If there is too much broth in the pot, get rid of some otherwise the soup will be too watery. Using an immersion blender, blend soup to obtain a smooth texture. Add the vegetables you have put aside to the soup. Mix well.

Serve soup in plates, top with salmon and add some cream around. Sprinkle with some chopped spinach and serve hot.