Recipe: Spring Vegetable Soup with Garlic Whistles

SPRING VEGETABLE SOUP WITH GARLIC WHISTLES

"We love to make this simple, fresh-tasting soup to welcome spring. You can easily make this soup year-round by changing the ingredients based on what is in season and your whim. Let the vegetable stock act as the neutral base and build flavors around the seasonal vegetables that suit your taste. We have included a recipe for roasted vegetable stock in the Basics section, but you can use a purchased natural vegetable stock or broth.

Garlic whistles or garlic scapes are the looping flower tops of the hard stem garlic plant before they bloom. They are usually available only in late May through early June. Garlic whistles are much more mild-flavored than regular garlic bulbs, imparting just a hint of garlic to your dish. They can be treated like asparagus, steamed or blanched, or treated like a green onion and diced, shaved or sliced raw."

1/2 cup English peas removed from the pod
6 spears standard-size green asparagus spears, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 garlic whistles, cut into 1/2-inch pieces or use 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
6 baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise or 1/2 cup peeled carrots, julienned
1 1/2 quarts vegetable stock
1/2 cup hardy spring greens, stems removed, roughly chopped
6 spring onions, ends trimmed, cut in half lengthwise
2 Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped savory herbs (parsley, thyme, oregano and sage) (for serving)

In a large stainless steel stock pot, add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Add the peas, asparagus, garlic whistles and carrots to the simmering stock. Cook 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.

Add the Swiss chard, spring onions and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

TO SERVE:
Pour soup into warm bowls. Sprinkle the chopped herbs on top of each bowl.

ADVANCE PREPARATION:
The finished soup should be put together just prior to serving. The vegetable stock base can be made up to a week ahead and refrigerated or frozen up to a month ahead.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND OPTIONS:
Select the vegetables based on what looks the best and has the best flavor in your market or garden. Use summer squash, com, bell peppers and basil in the summer months or use autumn mushrooms, potatoes and roots in the autumn months.

Cooked pasta, such as farfalle (butterflies or bow ties), conchigliette (small shells) or orecchiette (little ears) can be added if you want to include a starch. For an elegant presentation, add shaved summer or winter black truffles (Oregon, French or Italian truffles) and a splash of truffle oil just prior to serving.

Makes 6 appetizer servings, approximately 1 1/2 quarts
Source: The Sustainable Kitchen: Passionate Cooking Inspired by Farms, Forests, and Oceans by Stu Stein with Mary Hinds and Judith H. Dern