Mean, Green and Not Too Lean Soup

I already had broccoli and spinach in the refrigerator for too long. Every time I opened the fridge for half & half or a seltzer, they judged me. If they’d had fingers, they’d have wagged them at me. (I always overbuy fruit and veggies - it’s a terrible habit.) They had reached that stage where they were still technically edible, but I was mentally X-ing the days on the calendar. Oh, the guilt.

Then my friend Wendy announced that she was going on a trip and arrived with two zucchini of her own. They were absolutely usable, but clearly had not been invited to travel with her.

Now I wasn’t simply neglecting vegetables. I was operating a home for produce with nowhere else to go.

Clearly, it was time for soup.

I chopped an onion and cooked it in butter and olive oil with garlic, then added Wendy’s zucchini and my guilt-ridden broccoli. Once they had softened, I poured in chicken broth and let everything simmer until the vegetables surrendered.

The spinach went in last. It was looking especially tragic by then, but a few minutes in the hot broth restored it to a much more respectable shade of green.

I attacked the whole thing with an immersion blender until it became pseudo-smooth, vivid green and suspiciously healthy-looking but with a bit of texture left.

It tasted good, but it needed something.

Admittedly, a bowl of puréed vegetables can feel a little too virtuous, and I try not to let virtue get out of hand.

So I made a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, cut it into little cubes and scattered them over the soup like croutons. They were crisp and buttery on the outside, soft and cheesy inside, and far superior to anything that ever came out of a bag labeled “seasoned croutons.” But here’s the mean part. I had some ham and cheese left over - about 3-4 ounces of each - and threw them into the pot before blending. Perfect.

The cubes absorbed just enough soup around the edges while keeping their melted cheese centers intact. Every spoonful became tomato soup and grilled cheese’s greener, slightly more sophisticated cousin.

The broccoli and spinach did not die in vain. Wendy returned from her trip relieved of her zucchini burden. And I ended up with a soup good enough that it almost seemed as though I had planned the whole thing.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium zucchini, chopped

1 large head broccoli, cut into florets, with the tender part of the stem chopped

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

5 ounces fresh spinach

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the grilled cheese croutons:

4 slices sturdy bread

Butter, softened

4 slices cheddar, American or your favorite melting cheese (plus extra  for the pot)

4 slices ham - I like the rosemary ham at Whole Foods.

METHOD

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the zucchini, broccoli and broth. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.

Add the spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until wilted.

Purée the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. You may also carefully blend it in batches in a regular blender.

If the soup is too thick, add a little more broth.

To make the croutons, prepare two grilled ham and cheese sandwiches in a skillet, buttering the outsides of the bread and cooking until golden brown on both sides and the cheese has melted.

Let the sandwiches rest for a minute before cutting them into small cubes. Scatter the grilled cheese croutons over each bowl immediately before serving.