I’ve recently jumped on the Good Egg’s train, a service in San Francisco that offers CSA boxes and other local fresh foods that get delivered to your door. What I love about the CSA boxes is that they’re filled with an abundance of fresh picked produce. Basically whatever the week’s harvest is… and probably twice the amount that you’d ever think of buying at the store or farmer’s market. You have no choice but to get creative because you’ve just received 5 bundles of greens, a pound of leeks, 2 pounds of summer squash… radishes, carrots, and beets… just to name a few.
This recipe for leek & dill soup was inspired by having more leeks and summer squash then I knew what to do with. It’s pleasantly herbaceous, subtle, and a fantastic summer recipe. It’s delicious served both warm or cool.
prep time: 15 minutes | cook time: 45-60 minutes | serves: 4-6 Ingredients:
Roasted Squash:
3 cups summer squash
2 tsp coconut oil
pinch of sea salt
a few springs of rosemary
Soup:
3 tbsp coconut oil (or ghee)
1 leek ( ~11“ ) 1/2 cup fresh dill
3-4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas*
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin black pepper
2 tbsp fenugreek leaf
* soak the chickpeas 10-24 hours and either cook them separately or with broth.
1. Oven
Set oven at 350° F.
2. Slice + bake
Chop summer squash into half moon or quarter moon pieces (split squash down the middle from top to bottom, then cut about 1/2 inch pieces). Place squash on a baking sheet. Top with coconut oil, salt, and rosemary. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and juicy (check with a fork).
3. Sautée
In a sauce pan melt coconut oil or ghee. Add sliced leeks, let cook down for about 10 minutes, occasionally stirring. Add sea salt, cumin, fenugreek, and a few dashes of black pepper. Let cook for another 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth and fresh dill. Let it come to a boil.
*If you have not cooked the chickpeas you can add them here and cook for 45 minutes.*
4. Purée
Taste the broth, add more seasoning (including fresh dill) as you see fit. Place in a blender along with the chickpeas; blend until smooth. Place the soup back into the sauce pan to keep warm. Taste and make any desired adjustments.
Top with fried dill
Pick a handful of small leaves off of the dill plant, place them between two paper towel and put a pan (something flat) on top. This allows moisture to seep out of the leaves, making it easier to fry. Take a 1/2 tbsp of oil in a pan, heat it up. Drop the dill pieces in one at a time. It should be hot enough so when you drop in that the dill sizzles. Keep in the pan for about 45-6o seconds. Carefully remove the leaves with chopsticks or tongs. Crumble on top of each bowl as garnish.
5. Serve
Add the roasted squash into the individual bowls.
Dill: Has been traditionally used to treat insomnia, digestion, respiratory disorders, and boost immunity. It’s anti-inflammatory has antioxidant properties and is a great source of dietary fiber, vitamin a, vitamin b6, vitamin c, phosphorus, zinc, copper, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese, niacin, riboflavin, and folate.
Leeks: In the allium (onion) family, leeks are high in vitamin k, folate, manganese, copper, vitamin b6, c, iron, dietary fiber, and are a good source for vitamin a, e, magnesium, calcium, omega-3. They contain the antioxidants flavonoids and polyphenols, which support our red blood cells throughout the body from damage and oxidation.
Summer squash: Contain the antioxidant, carotenoids which support the eyes mostly, fighting off muscular degeneration and can protect against cataracts. Summer squash is a great source of copper, fiber, manganese, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, folate, vitamin b1, b2 b3, b6, vitamin c, vitamin k, omega 3, zinc, and calcium.
Chickpeas: Very high in molybdenum, manganese, folate, protein, copper, fiber, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and zinc. Chickpeas support a healthy heart, digestion, blood pressure, and is anti-cancerous, and anti-inflammatory.