Cream of Belgian Endive Soup

This easy but elegant soup has a nice balance between the creamy, uh, cream and the astringent Belgian endives. Carrot adds just a blush of colour and the onions and garlic add their notes to the whole. Simple and satisfying. Despite their subtlety there are quite a lot of vegetables in this so it isn't excessively rich.

4 servings
45 minutes - 30 minutes prep time

4 large (375 grams; 12 ounces) Belgian endives
1 large red or pink onion
1 small carrot
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons barley flour
3 cups unsalted chicken OR vegetable stock
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper & nutmeg to taste
1/2 cup 10% cream

Wash, trim, and slice the Belgian endives thinly. (Reserve a green tips for garnish, if there are green tips). Peel and chop the onion. Peel and grate or finely dice the carrot. Peel and mince the garlic.

Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed soup pot until melted and sizzling. Add the endive, onion, and carrot. Cook over medium-low heat with the lid on for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Add the garlic and mix in well. Add the flour and mix in well, and cook for a minute or so until pasty. Season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Slowly stir in 2 cups of the chicken stock. Raise the heat to medium and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened.

Purée the soup in a food processor, and return it to the pot. Add the remaining chicken stock and the cream. Heat until steaming hot but not simmering. Serve at once.




Last year at this time I made Red Cabbage with Rye Crumbs.

Posted in: Ontario Food