Caesar Soup
Written by Rachel, Posted in Appetizers, Bread, Cheese, Fruit, Herbs, Lunch, Meat, Pork, Sides, Soups, Toasting, Vegetables
I have to confess something to you. A bowl of caesar salad in my vicinity will not last long. I have a hard time sharing it… I will, but I might rather eat the whole bowl by myself.
Enough about my caesar sharing issues.
Are you like me, and kinda stuck with the idea that lettuce can only be used in a salad or on a sandwich? Let’s break that mold.
How about a nice bowl of lettuce soup… Um, it’s way better than it sounds… and than the color might make you think (sorry, now we know, lettuce makes for a brown soup).
We all know that a good caesar salad dressing has tons of garlic. (Ahem, this is true of most of my favorite foods.) I mean, it’s good for you, and it tastes so gooooooood. Why not?!
Apple and basil are not part of a traditional caesar. Oh well. They go well in this recipe, so let’s ignore tradition for a moment.
Then the lettuce is wilted in. Just like that. Kinda fun. We usually want lettuce to be crisp, cold, and fresh. Most people turn their noses up at wilty lettuce. Snobs. (Hey, me too. Who wants a bowl of wilty salad… unless it’s meant to be wilted! Then we’re singing a different tune.)
You know that loaf of bread that is now stale and is not acceptable for peanut butter and jam? Good. Let’s rip it apart and toast it up. It’s seasoned with a little bit of olive oil, some salt, and pepper. Crunchy is good here, so don’t under toast.
No one wants soggy croutons.
Because they’re totally going into the soup. Yep. We’re doing this. The soup was blended and strained so it’s creamy and smooth. Then it is topped with that bacon you’ve been snacking on, those croutons you can’t stop eating, and the parmesan cheese you keep sneaking tastes of. (Oh, just me? Cool.) Plus, don’t forget about adding a drizzle of your favorite olive oil.
And just like that, it’s ready.
Creamy and dreamy, with a bit of zip.
Boom, bang, done did. (What?!) Let’s eat!
Happy Eating!
- 2 slices bacon
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 apple, diced
- 1/2 t dried basil
- 1 stalk green garlic, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, diced
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 1 t dijon mustard
- 1 T balsamic vinegar
- 6 C lettuce, washed and torn
- 4 C vegetable stock
- 2 C bread, torn
- 1 T lemon juice
- 2 T mayonnaise
- olive oil, for topping
- parmesan cheese, grated, for topping
- Pre-heat oven to 350F.
- Cook bacon and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
- Heat a soup pot. Add oil. When oil is hot, add apple, basil, green garlic, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Add dijon and balsamic vinegar, and cook 1 minute.
- Add lettuce and wilt down for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Toss bread with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes, turning once.
- Remove soup from heat. Add lemon juice and mayo. Blend with a hand blender or regular blender (regular: remove the plug from the lid and cover hole with a clean towel). Strain, taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve topped with croutons, a drizzle of olive oil, bacon, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese (add the croutons immediately before serving).
