CONTENTS
Potato and Swiss Chard Soup
(Dutch: Aardappel-snijbietsoep)
Swiss chard is a vegetable that has been grown and eaten in the Netherlands for centuries. Although it originates from the Mediterranean region, it has adapted well to the Dutch climate and has been cultivated in gardens and farms since the Middle Ages. Its resilience and fast growth made Swiss chard a common crop in times of food shortages. Loved for its versatility in the kitchen and nutritional value, Swiss chard is regaining popularity today, especially with the focus on local and seasonal eating.
Ingredients
Serves 2
- 500 g floury potatoes
- A large bunch of Swiss chard, thoroughly washed
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 onion
- 750 ml vegetable broth
- 1 lemon
Instructions
Preparation time: 30 minutes
- Prepare the vegetables: Finely chop the onion and garlic. Peel and cut the potatoes into small pieces. Slice the Swiss chard leaves into strips and cut the stems into 1 cm pieces.
- Cook the base: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot and sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes. Add the potatoes and broth, and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the Swiss chard: After 5 minutes, add the Swiss chard stems and cook for another 5 minutes. Finally, add the chard leaves and cook for an additional 5 minutes. By this point, the potatoes should be tender, the chard stems soft, and the leaves slightly wilted.
- Blend and season: Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Squeeze the lemon and add half of the juice to the soup to balance the slightly bitter flavour of the chard. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt, and pepper as desired.
- Serving suggestion: Serve the soup warm, garnished with a drizzle of olive oil or a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper. Pair it with freshly baked bread or a side salad for a complete meal.
- Tip: This recipe also works well with radish greens (for a spicier flavour) or beet greens. Yes, those are edible!
ZERO WASTE TIPS
- Use the entire Swiss chard: The stems are just as nutritious as the leaves and can be finely chopped and added to the soup or stir-fried as a side dish.
- Save vegetable scraps for broth: Onion skins, potato peels, and Swiss chard trimmings can be collected and used to make a flavourful vegetable broth for future soups.
- Buy local and unpackaged: Get Swiss chard and potatoes from a local farmer or market to reduce packaging waste and use fresh, seasonal produce.
- Grow your own Swiss chard: Swiss chard is an easy vegetable to grow, even in a small garden or on a balcony. It grows quickly and allows for multiple harvests from the same plant, reducing waste and providing fresh chard whenever you need it.
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