SPINACH AND CILANTRO SOUP

Spinach and Cilantro Soup

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SAUCE:

• ¼ cup well-stirred tahini
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 large clove garlic, finely grated or pounded to a smooth paste
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

FOR THE SOUP:

• 7 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 12 ounces baby spinach (about 12 packed cups)
• 4 cups roughly chopped cilantro (from 2 large bunches)
• ¼ cup well-stirred tahini
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed.

1. First, make the sauce: Combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin and red-pepper flakes with 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding more water as needed to achieve a drizzle-able consistency, and set aside.
2. Next, make the soup: Add stock to a Dutch oven or heavy pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in spinach, cilantro, tahini and salt, and return to a boil. Turn off heat, and stir in lemon juice.
3. Use an immersion blender to purée soup. Taste, and adjust seasoning with more salt and lemon, if desired.
4. Serve soup immediately, and drizzle with tahini sauce. Cover and refrigerate remaining soup and sauce for up to 1 week, or freeze soup for up to 1 month.

Tip

• Because this soup is so simple, the quality of the stock really makes a difference, so use homemade or purchase some from a butcher. Avoid canned and boxed stocks if possible.