GREENS AND GOAT CHEESE BISQUE
I’m a vegetable lover (much to the chagrin of my meat-and-cheese-loving husband), but even I struggle to get my daily dose of veggies in each day. That’s one reason I love to make this Greens and Goat Cheese Bisque, which is loaded with fresh spinach, kale, chard and other good-for-you ingredients. The other reason I love it? It’s made smooth, silky and sippable in my KitchenAid®Torrent™ Blender for a truly easy, quick and delicious lunch or dinner side dish.
I’m a big believer that getting your recommended amount of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet will positively affect how you feel that day. Of course, that doesn’t mean I want to skimp on tasty food. That’s why I often look to soups as my method for sneaking in those vegetables – whether for a light lunch, dinner or side dish – without sacrificing flavor.
This greens and goat cheese bisque is the perfect combination of freshness and flavor. Not only is it chockfull of veggies (more than a pound of them, to be exact!), but the addition of crumbled goat cheese, caramelized onions, lemon juice and a hint of spice lends a taste like no other.
To start, heat a KitchenAid® Tri-Ply Copper 10″ Skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the chopped onions and a bit of salt. Stir and cook until the onions begin to brown, then add a couple tablespoons of water and chopped fresh thyme leaves. Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook the onions until they’re reduced and well-caramelized.
Meanwhile, in a KitchenAid® Sculptured Stainless Steel Stockpot, add a diced potato, salt and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the potato until it’s very fork-tender.
Once the onions have caramelized, stir in some Marsala wine and pour the mixture into the stockpot along with a few cups of chicken or vegetable broth. Return to a simmer, then add the spinach/kale/chard mix as well as some cayenne pepper and nutmeg. Stir until the greens are just wilted.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the goat cheese, butter and lemon juice. Once the goat cheese and butter are thoroughly melted and mixed into the soup, transfer the soup (in batches) to your KitchenAid® Torrent™ Blender and puree until smooth. Return the soup to the stockpot and season to taste with more salt or lemon juice.
Serve the soup with extra crumbled goat cheese, fresh thyme leaves and a hunk of crusty bread or crackers, if desired.
This soup is so delicious, even my husband approves (and my one-year-old daughter!). I love to make a double batch of it to freeze for later, too. Give it a try and enjoy your veggies.
GREENS AND GOAT CHEESE BISQUE
Makes 8 servingsINGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided, plus more to taste
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 large Russet potato, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons Marsala cooking wine
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
3/4 pound baby spinach leaves
1/2 pound baby kale and/or Swiss chard leaves, tough stems removed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a KitchenAid® Tri-Ply Copper 10″ Skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, 5 minutes until onions begin to brown. Reduce heat to low; add 2 tablespoons water and fresh thyme leaves. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes until onions are a deep caramelized brown.
Meanwhile, in a KitchenAid® Sculptured Stainless Steel Stockpot over high heat, bring remaining 2 cups water, diced potato and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until potatoes are soft.
Once onions are caramelized, stir in Marsala wine, then add mixture to stockpot along with broth. Bring to a simmer. Stir in spinach, kale, cayenne pepper and nutmeg until greens are just wilted.
Remove from heat. Add goat cheese, butter and lemon juice and stir until cheese and butter are melted. Pour soup in batches into a KitchenAid® Torrent™ Blender and puree until smooth. Add more salt or lemon juice to taste, if desired.
