ALMOST SPRING GREENS AND PASTA SOUP

This is a recipe I adapted from Russ Parson’s column in the LA Times I am becoming a fan. He says: “mixed leafy greens can include mustard, kale, collard, beet and turnip greens, chard as well as dandelions. (Watch the dandelions as too many might make the soup bitter.)” I used Kale from our garden. I followed his recipe, except that his uses half stock, half water, which didn’t sound good to me, and I used less pasta than he did. The fennel and the vinegar really make it exceptional. Get a mortar and pestle and grind away.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped (I used a leek)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound mixed leafy greens, stemmed and coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)
6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable)
2 teaspoons salt, more to taste
1/2 cup small pasta shapes (we used little stars), or 1 cup cooked rice
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar, more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon finely ground fennel seed
6 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart soup pot over medium heat and cook the onions until they soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the coarsely chopped greens to the pot, a handful at a time, and let them wilt, stirring constantly.

Add the stock and the salt and slowly bring to a simmer, then cook until the greens are soft (but not darkened or faded), about 10 minutes.

While the greens are cooking, cook the pasta in a large pot of rapidly boiling salted water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside until the soup is done.

Coarsely shred the greens with an immersion blender. Some will become puréed, but mostly they should be shredded. If you don't have an immersion blender, a food processor will do a better job than a stand blender. Transfer half the greens and liquid to a food processor and carefully purée until the greens are finely chopped. Reserve in a mixing bowl and repeat with the remaining greens and liquid. Wipe out the soup pot and return the greens and liquid to it.

Bring the soup to a simmer, and stir in the cooked pasta and 1 teaspoon vinegar. If the pasta clumps together (it probably will), let it warm and stir it again to break it up. Season with the pepper and the fennel seed. Taste, and add more salt or vinegar if needed.

To serve, ladle the soup into heated shallow bowls and garnish with a generous grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano.