I probabaly have already told you, but August is for sure my favorite month of the year (well,one of my favorites)
There is bounties of bounties of fresh, sweet and colorful, oh so juicy, crispy crisp, just so f ing amazing, produce exploding all over the place. I have probably gained like 75 thousand pounds in the past month due to all of the fruits and veggies that I have been consuming. I am starting to consider it a full time job just to keep up with the eating.
Another reason why I love August so much is becauuse the days are still nice and warm, but the nights are starting to cool which means I get to make so much soup!!!!!.
This soup is the freshest freshy soup yet. Everything is from the farm and or the garden (except the salt pepper, vinegar and oil), some picked within hours of me making this.
. I am a lucky/spolied veggie brat.
Anyways. This soup. The fresh tomato base gives it a sweet, slightly acidic kick. So super creamy due to the lovely earthy stocks of the chard. Slightly spicy and earthy from the arugula* and chard green green. This soup... it just tastes so fresh and clean, yet hearty and satisfying. A perfect soup for a mid August night, eating outside, watching the sun slide behind the mountains and the temperature dropping just enough that you might want a light sweater. Or you can just eat it from the pot in the kitchen while watching TV. It's good eating anyway you want.
*Here in America, it's called arugula. Else where , it's called rocket. I wish we all called it rocket, although I do like the name arugula, but for like my first born child or maybe a pet goldfish. Anyway, rocket is arugula, or vice versa.
Soup time!.
The stuff. Some big fresh tomatoes, a few stalks of chard, and a few handfuls of arugaula (aka rocket). A couple carrots, an onion, some garlic, salt and pepper and a bit of olive oil.. Oh, and I added some balsamic vinegar, which for some reason didn't make it into the picture (sorry vinegar)
Start by removing the chard leaves from the stalks. Set aside leave with the arugula. Chop up the carrot, chard stems, onion and garlic and toss into a big pot with a drizzle of olive oil, a splash of water, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir around and stick o nthe stove on medium heat for about 10 minutes until the veggies start to soften up.
All cooked up
Now chop up the tomatoes into chunks and toss those right into the pot with the other stuff. Add in a few cups water and a few glugs of balazmic vinegar. Bring everything to a boil and then turn heat to medium low and place a lid on pot and let cook at medium heat for another 20 ish minutes, or until the tomatoes are falling apart.
Now that everything is all cooked up, blend it up.
So silky smooth
And now take the chard leaves and the aruglula and chop into little pieces….into the pot they go.
Mix it all up.. and take the blender to the soup again….if you want a smaller sized bite.
Soup Into bowls..Then into mouth.
Happy August!!
And hey hey hey.. Have the best weekend!
-C
Creamy Tomato Chard and Rocket Soup
- 4-5 large fresh tomatoes
- 4 large stalks of rainbow chard
- 2-3 big handfuls of arugula
- 1 medium onion
- 1 large or 2 small carrots
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 2-3glugs (about 2 tablespoons) balsamic vinegar
- 3 cups water
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
To start, remove stalks of chard from leaves and chop stalks, onion, carrot and garlic into chunks and place int a big pot with a drizzle of olive oil, a splash or water, and spinkle of salt and pepper. Place on stove on medium low heat sand cooke the veggies down until starting to soften and garlic is becoming fragrant. While that cooking, remove core from tomatoes and dice them up. Toss into pot with the cooked down veggies with the vinegar and water. Place a lid on the pot and let cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the tomatoes are falling apart.
When cooked, using with a hand blender or a normal blender, blend the soup until smooth. (if using blender, pour back into pot)
Now take the arugula and chard leaves and chop them into wee little picese and mix into soup. If you want to, blend the greens into the soup.. but not until smooth, unless thats what you want. Cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into bowl and serve with lots of fresh cracked pepper, maybe a little balsamic drizzle or even some mustard (I at left overs with mustard and it rocked my world)
spoons work eel las eating utencils.