Two-Potato Soup With Rainbow Chard

“Two-Potato Soup with Rainbow Chard”, page 158, is elemental and rustic. Made from simple earthy ingredients – onion, leek, potatoes (red and sweet), and rainbow chard – the flavors are deep and satisfying. It also goes together quickly without a lot of fussy preparation. Sauté onion, leek, and garlic (I used sherry in place of olive oil), add the broth and potatoes, and when all the veggies are tender, throw in the chard. The broth you use can make a big difference, so select one you know will satisfy. In my experience, chard, like spinach, doesn’t have to cook long at all. Adding the chopped chard to the soup after the potatoes are done, stirring a few times, then covering the soup and setting it off the heat for a few minutes is really all it takes. The recipe has you cooking the soup for another 15 minutes after adding the chard, but that would have been too long for my tastes, I like my greens to be a little less cooked down. However, 15 minutes might be necessary if you substitute kale or collard greens for the chard, as you might want to do. The leftovers held up well, and we enjoyed this soup for lunch leftovers later in the week.

Keeping it “McDougall Friendly” check list:

• Omit the oil when sautéing the veggies. Instead, use a nonstick soup pot and/or replace the oil with water, broth, or sherry.