Rocket & coriander soup

Winter has hit with force… I juggle the washing line with obsessive compulsion, trying to dodge the showers and sprinkles and hoping for a ray or two of sun to dry the tea towels and aprons. And sit at this computer with a thick scarf double-draped around my neck, and dream of soup… this recipe has been slurped up greedily in the last two weeks and is a cinch to make. Soup on!

Fresh from the garden: rocket, potatoes, spring onions, coriander, bay leaves

Recipe source: Melissa, kitchen specialist at Bondi PS

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Soups have always been a popular dish for the students at Bondi Public – no matter how green they are (the soups, not the kids!) And it’s fun to prepare, with many different procedures and fun equipment.

What to do:

• Wash and trim the spring onions, removing & discarding the tough outer layer. Slice into 1cm bits.
• Peel potatoes and cut into 2cm cubes.
• Peel and squeeze the garlic cloves through the garlic press.
• Wash the rocket in several changes of water, spin dry and remove & chop into ribbons.
• Melt butter in the large stockpot over medium heat and sauté spring onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
• Add the potato cubes, a teaspoon of cooking salt and the bay leaves and stir a few times with the wooden spoon so that the potato sweats in the butter.
• Add the water, bring to a simmer over medium heat then cover and cook gently over low heat for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile wash and spin dry the coriander and then chop the stalks & leaves really finely.
• After 2 minutes check that the potato is tender, then stir in the chopped rocket, increase heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and turn heat off, adding a good grind of pepper.
• With dry hands, plug in the handheld mixer and carefully whizz the soup until it is silky smooth.
• Taste for correct seasoning, sprinkle in the coriander and ladle into bowls to serve.

Notes: What other vegetables can be used for soup? How many different procedures are there in this recipe? Why do we want the potato to ‘sweat’? Why do we take out the bay leaves?