Spring Garlic Soup and Spinach Soup

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

4 green garlic stalks including the bulb thinly sliced , about 3 cups sliced

1 sprig thyme

½ bay leaf

2/3 cup potatoes, thinly sliced

3 cups chicken stock

salt

pepper

Method:

Melt butter in a stainless steel sauce pot. Add onions, garlic, sprig of thyme, bay leaf and salt. Cover pot. Cook until onions and garlic are translucent and soft. Add potatoes and chicken stock.. Cook until potatoes are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add pepper. Remove the sprig of thyme and the bay leaf. Puree in a blender and strain. Serve alone or in the same bowl with spinach soup.

Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

1 leek

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup potatoes, thinly sliced

4 oz. of spinach, stemmed and chopped

3 cups chicken stock

Salt

Method:

Split leek in half, wash and slice thinly. Melt butter, add leeks and salt. Cook until leeks are tender. Add potatoes to leeks and stir. Add 3 cups of chicken stock. Simmer soup until potatoes are tender. Add spinach cook until the spinach is wilted and tender but be careful not to overcook. Immediately puree soup in blender. Strain pureed soup into a bowl that is placed in an ice bath in order to cool the soup quickly and to maintain the color. If necessary adjust consistency of soup with warm stock. Taste.

To serve two soups in a bowl:

Dip equal portions of spring garlic and spinach soup into two separate ladles and with an even rhythm simultaneously pour each soup into the same bowl. Garnish with mustard flowers and a drizzle of creme fraiche.