Let’s Chow!

Zucchini is a great vegetable because of its versatility. Not too many other vegetables can be a star ingredient in both entirely sweet and savory creations. Yes, that’s right - zucchini can be in baked goods such as muffins and breads, as well as a plethora of other things. From frittatas to salads, casseroles, patties, pasta, and soups, it can basically conquer them all. It’s an ingredient that has a higher chance of likability because the flavor is mild, not overly pungent, yet hearty. It healthily moistens baked goods, and it is chock-full of fiber and nutrients.

I hastily picked up this soup recipe from Chef Mark Sparacino at Prosecco in Chicago. It is really fabulous to have a chance to speak with the very chef that prepares your meal because you get the inside scoop on the preparation process and all sorts of information (if you are interested). Plus, you can always provide them with your own feedback on their fruits of labor. They certainly appreciate that! At a group dinner several months ago, the first course I chose was Zuppa Di Zucchini. When I go out to eat, I am always trying to figure out all of the ingredients I taste, mainly because it’s a fun game, and also because it gives me hints on how to make it at home. The soup was so good that I asked him about the general how-to of this simple and classy soup. He had to get back in the kitchen, so I got the 15-second rundown of what to do: “It’s super easy - you just saute some onions, carrots, and zucchini, then add the water or stock and simmer it.” Oh, really, that easy?

It turned out to be almost as easy as he made it out to be. My countless hours of watching Food Network gave me some background knowledge on the general soup-making process, which definitely helped as well.  In my recipe, I added a few personal touches such as potatoes, Herbes De Provence, and cream.

Zuppa Di Zucchine Recipe

Inspired by Chef Mark Sparacino at Prosecco Ristorante
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 small white potatoes (or 1 medium russet potato), diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 2 teaspoons Herbes De Provence or Italian Seasoning blend
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• ¼ cup half and half or heavy cream
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Several dollops of Greek yogurt or sour cream, optional

Tools

• Medium soup pot (at least 4 quarts)
• Wooden spoon
• Chef knife and cutting board
• Immersion hand blender (example)
• Ladle

Preparation

1. In the soup pot over medium heat, warm olive oil and butter until the butter melts. Add onion and saute until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and herbs; lightly season with salt and pepper to add a layer of flavor. Saute for an additional 4 minutes until vegetables are all softened and fragrant.
2. Add stock and bring the soup mixture to a gentle boil at medium-high to high heat. Immediately turn the heat down to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat source and remove bay leaf. Puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Add in cream. Season generously with salt and pepper as desired.
4. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley and yogurt/sour cream. Serve immediately.

Selina’s Notes

• If you don’t have an immersion hand blender, a regular blender or food processor works fine. However, I am an immersion blender fanatic because it eliminates the potentially messy step of transferring the soup back and forth.
• Since the soup is blended, do not worry about dicing the vegetables to perfection. It’s also good to keep in mind that the smaller your dices are, the quicker the soup cooks
• The soup goes great with crostini, Parmesan croutons, or crusty Italian peasant bread