Broccoli and Arugula Soup

I love this soup. I often make it when I am feeling lazy and just want to throw something together quickly. It is filling (thanks fiber-rich broccoli) and healthy, and I first discovered it when doing the GOOP detox. I know that this detox, the newsletter, and Gwenyth Paltrow as a human being, has been the subject of much ire on the interweb, but I don't really care, because I actually loved this detox. I didn't starve, I was often very satisfied, and I really liked the recipes that were provided. And frankly, I was able to do this after gaining seven pounds over the holidays and not only lose that weight, but lost 3 more pounds, and have kept it off ever since, despite baking and tasting constantly. I basically have introduced many more foods back into my diet, but still try to maintain the all natural, no-proccessed food way of life. Alice Waters would be proud.

Now please excuse my while I find a way down from my soapbox.

Bring on the baked goods!

Oh, and I sometimes like to top this soup with some cornmeal crusted shrimp (SEE!). But don't include them if you want this to be vegan/vegetarian (obviously!)

Cornmeal Crusted Shrimp (adapted from Epicurious)

12 uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 3/4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, smashed

1 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place shrimp, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, and 3 smashed garlic cloves in large resealable plastic bag; turn to coat. Chill 2 to 3 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Stir cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Add shrimp; toss. Arrange in single layer on large plate.

Meanwhile, add enough vegetable oil to heavy large skillet to reach depth of 1/4 inch. Heat oil over high heat. Working in 2 batches, fry shrimp until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper-towel-lined baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm.

Broccoli and Arugula Soup (adapted from Her GOOPiness)

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow onion, roughly diced
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets (about 2/3 pound)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon (or more, depending on your tastes) coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup arugula (watercress would be good, too)
2 tsp onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 lemon (optional)
1 tsp curry powder (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for just a minute or until fragrant. Add the broccoli and cook for four minutes or until bright green. Add the water, salt and pepper, bring to a boil, lower the heat and cover. Cook for eight minutes or until the broccoli is just tender. Pour the soup into a blender and puree with the arugula until quite smooth. Be very careful when blending hot liquids; start slowly and work in batches if necessary. Serve the soup with a bit of fresh lemon.

Comments

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Beautiful recipe - cornmeal crusted shrimp = fantastic!

Posted by: thepinkpeppercorn | February 28, 2009 at 03:13 PM

I love the color of the soup. It looks so healthy and delicious. I'll have to check out the goop detox. I've attempted different detoxes before but never last more than 3 or 4 days because I go through severe caffeine withdrawls.

Posted by: Wendy | February 28, 2009 at 11:19 PM