Get your soup working... Escarole Potato Scallion Soup

If you could see the rest of this kitchen you would be chuckling with me. Outside of this styled bowl of escarole soup lies a sea of peanut butter dog bone biscuits with their crumbs;  bowls of melted and dried carob chips and spatulas; sheet pans with parchment stacked high on the stovetop; cooling racks; a warm iron; a side-board of ingredients such as oats, honey, flour, all in super sizes; and a couch lined with freshly printed logos, price lists, 'signature' cotton string, gold holiday bells and cellophane bags... What a beautiful mess, someone once phrased so well. A beautiful mess soon to be my new dog biscuit company: Fetch Me. There will be more news on that later.

But for now I have a guest for lunch: one of my dearest friends, Kimmy, in town from Maine. And how fortuitous that she should arrive at just the right time. Their is no one who's feedback I appreciate more than hers, along with her sister Karla, of course! So, I got some soup working, as we say, and cleaned the table for lunch. And that's when she arrived with a Fed Ex box the size of my door. It looks like Kim has a project of her own: creatively directing and introducing an Artist and her beautiful glass wares: Ellen Fisher. She brought them to shoot in my house because I have been blessed with extraordinary light, and my kitchen is in a constant photo-shoot of food, anyway.

The pieces were incredible. Take a look:



So while I cooked and 'shot' bowls of steaming escarole, potato, scallion soup; Kim shot Fisher's glass serving dishes. And before we knew it I was tossing an escarole frisee' salad for an incredible piece of art. I wish everyday were like this...

Now go have a creative day. And while you're at it, get a bowl of soup 'working'. 

Escarole, Potato, Scallion Soup

with Garlic Crouton and Crema

Have

a head of escarole 

one large potato

one bunch of scallions

one small clove of garlic

three cups of chicken stock

a sprig of thyme

a bay leaf

some decent bread 

crema (a Mexican creme, a loose version of creme fraiche)

Do 

Chop your scallions and dice your potato and pull the brightest leaves from the center of your escarole and mince your garlic. You are now ready to sweat the onion in a tablespoon of olive oil for two minutes, and add your chicken stock and everything else. Cook gently, for about twenty minutes (medium to lower heat). 

Slice your bread, thick, and rub with a clove of garlic, and dress with olive oil and bake in a hot 450' oven for about eight minutes, until crisp. 

Here's the rest of the story...

scallion, garlic, potato, herbs and stock brought to a pretty simmer...

don't forget your escarole hearts

simmer the soup until the potato is just done

and

make your toast

 like this picture too...

and this one...

and this one... haha

toasted

finish with a crouton and a spoonful of crema, and black pepper,

 for a happy...

ending