Spring Greens Soup with a Poached Farm Egg

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Spring is all about green shoots and new growth. The quintessential gastronomic sign of an early spring is young fresh green garlic and green shallots that are harvested before the cloves have begun to mature. The season for these mild flavored alliums is short, so sauntering to your local farmers market to snatch up these mild but distinct flavored beauties is not recommended. 

Spring Greens Soup with a Poached Farm Egg Recipe

ingredients​

  • 1/2 pound of young green garlic, outer layer peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 pound of young green shallots, chopped
  • 1 cup of parsley
  • 2 cups of watercress
  • 2 cups of radish greens
  • ​1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 medium potato, peeled
  • 8 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • ​1 tablespoon of fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons of sour cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • chives, snipped for garnish

    poached egg
  • Fresh farm eggs (1 for each bowl)​
  • 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar

    • directions​

    1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a medium stockpot set over medium-low heat. Add the young green shallots and garlic, watercress, radish greens, onion and potato.
    2. Stir occasionally, until softened, about 20 minutes. Then add the parsley and thyme.​
    3. Add 8 cups of stock and bring to a boil.​
    4. Add the sour cream and with a hand held immersion blender puree in the stockpot. Add salt and pepper to taste.

      poached egg
    5. Half-fill a wide pan about 4 inches deep, with unsalted water. Add 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar and bring to a boil.
    6. Break an egg into a small bowl. Stir the water clockwise so it is moving and then gently tip the egg into the pan. The circular movement helps the egg white to gather into a ball.​
    7. Poach egg for 1 1/2 minutes.​
      (if you like your poached egg to be firmer, cook for 2 minutes.
    8. With a slotted spoon lift the egg out of the pot and rest the bottom of the spoon on a paper towel to absorb some of the liquid.
    9. Place the poached egg in the center of a shallow soup bowl.
    10. Ladle the hot soup around the poached egg, carefully not to cover or pierce it. Garnish with snipped chives.
    note: Do not poach more than 4 eggs at a time, to prevent over crowding and breakage.