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Cooking with Sonya

Garden Zucchini Soup & Parmesan Thyme Crisps

My mom and my sister both got the gardener gene.  They are amazing and can make anything grow in abundance.  So when their zucchini comes in, well…let’s just say there aren’t enough zucchini recipes to go around.  I created this one as a starter course to our Easter dinner last year and it was a huge hit in our family.  I decided to recreate this dish today but since my mom and sister aren’t nearby I had to use organic store-bought zucchini.  It was still delicious but I sure missed them to share it with!

I used a very rich vegetable stock that had a lot of color to it so the soup took on more of the broth color.  If you use a lighter stock the color will be more green.  But either way the flavor is delicate and the texture is velvety smooth.  That makes the Paremsan crisp such a perfect addition to the dish.  Crunchy with a touch of herbal flavor and a lot of nutty cheesiness.  Perfect starter for Easter, Valentines Day, or just a homemade weekday lunch.

Zucchini Soup

  1. Heat a heavy bottomed stock pot over medium heat.  Add the butter and oil until just hot and then sauté the leeks and onion, with a little salt and pepper, until translucent, or 5-7 minutes.
  2. Add the potatoes and sauté for 3-4 more minutes, just to get them started. Add in the white wine, zucchini and just enough chicken broth or vegetable stock to cover the mixture along with the fresh thyme.  Season well with salt and pepper.
  3. Cook for approximately 30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through, covering half way through.  Add a little bit of heavy cream at the end, if desired.  Transfer mixture to a blender and carefully puree. Adjust seasoning as desired.

Parmesan Crisps

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  2. Place 1 Tablespoon each of Parmesan in a mound on the baking sheets, spacing them an inch apart.  Gently press down with your hands until they lie flat.  Sprinkle fresh thyme over the tops.
  3. Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove and take the parchment paper off the sheet pan and allow to cool on the counter.  Can be stored in an air tight container.
Zucchini Soup

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium leek, white and pale green parts only, cleaned and diced

1 small sweet yellow onion, roughly diced

1 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

½ cup dry white wine

3 organic garden zucchini, roughly chopped (approximately 3 cups)

3 to 3 1/2 cups organic chicken broth or vegetable broth

4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme, removed from the stem

Heavy cream (optional)

Salt & Pepper

Parmesan Thyme Crisps

6 Tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated on a box grater

2 teaspoons fresh thyme
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February 6, 2015

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