Witch’s Brew Soup

This Halloween soup blends spinach, peas, leek, potato, and herbs into a smooth green base, then tops each bowl with mozzarella balls dressed as eyeballs. It reads as playful without changing the core technique: sweat aromatics, simmer until tender, blend smooth, and finish with cream and lemon.

By Julienne

Cook time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 20 ml olive oil divided
• 1 piece leek white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and well washed
• 3 piece garlic cloves minced
• 200 g Yukon Gold potato peeled and diced into 2 cm pieces
• 600 ml vegetable stock low-sodium
• 4 g fine salt divided
• 0.5 g black pepper freshly ground, divided
• 200 g frozen peas kept frozen until use
• 150 g fresh spinach stems removed if tough
• 15 g fresh parsley leaves picked
• 10 g fresh basil leaves picked
• 5 g fresh mint leaves picked
• 300 ml vegetable stock low-sodium
• 10 ml olive oil divided
• 15 ml lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 60 ml heavy cream optional
• 3 g fine salt divided
• 0.5 g black pepper freshly ground, divided
• 0.5 g red pepper flakes optional, divided
• 12 piece mini mozzarella balls drained and patted dry
• 3 piece black olives cut into small rounds or slivers for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat 20 ml olive oil in a 5 to 6 liter saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced leek and cook, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. The leek is glossy and tender, and the garlic smells fragrant.
2. Add the diced potato, 600 ml of the vegetable stock, 4 g of the salt, and 0.5 g of the black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 10 minutes until the potato is nearly tender. The potato yields easily at the edges when pierced with a knife.
3. Stir in the frozen peas and cook for 2 minutes. Add the spinach, parsley, basil, mint, and the remaining 300 ml vegetable stock. Stir just until the greens wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. The greens have collapsed and turned bright green.
4. Blend the soup until smooth with the remaining 10 ml olive oil, the lemon juice, and the heavy cream if using. Taste and adjust with the remaining 3 g salt, the remaining 0.5 g black pepper, and the red pepper flakes if using. The soup is smooth, vivid green, and tastes balanced and lightly creamy.
5. Rewarm gently over low heat for 1 minute if needed, then ladle into bowls. If using the garnish, place 3 mozzarella balls in each bowl and dot each with tiny pieces of black olive to resemble eyes. The bowls look bright green with mozzarella 'eyeballs' floating on top.