The Secret of Kells

Top o' the mornin' to ya! In honor of St. Patrick's Day we watched The Secret of Kells this week and stirred up something in the Irish spirit: Potato, Green Cabbage, and Leek Soup with Lemon crème fraîche.

Disaster almost struck as I went to the Whole Foods yesterday and found the Green Cabbage bin empty! Luckily the produce guy came through for me with fresh heads from the back-phew.

The Secret of Kells was an animated feature nominated for an Oscar in 2010. In the story the young boy, Brendan, is appointed by the Irish abbey to protect and complete the legendary Book of Kells from the invading Vikings. Barb and I have watched several acclaimed animated features and while the background detail of the Abbey and the forest surrounding it was gorgeously drawn, the more simplistic drawings of the characters was a little jarring for me. The story was flat and thus, while i didn't fall asleep, I won't I will be recommending this one as one to watch.

The soup was delish! I am a big fan of pureed vegetable soups and this one is a great way to get in some fresh greens. The reserved cabbage, chives, and crème fraîche really makes it a winning recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 c. créme fraîche or sour cream

1 TB fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp finely grated lemon peel

2 TB butter

1 TB extra-virgin olive oil

6 c. diced green cabbage (1/2" dice)

3 c. chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only, 3–4 large)

3 large garlic cloves, pressed

3 c., 1/2". cubes peeled Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 1/4 lbs.)

1, 2" x 2" piece Parmesean cheese rind (optional) - we left this part out

1 bay leaf

6 c. (or more) low-salt chicken broth

2 TB chopped fresh chives (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

Whisk creme fraîche, lemon juice, and lemon peel in a small bowl to blend. Keep chilled up to 4 hours ahead.

Melt 1 TB butter with 1 TB olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add cabbage; sprinkle with salt and freshly-ground pepper and sauté until cabbage is almost tender but not brown, 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer 1 cup cabbage to a small bowl and reserve for garnish.

Add 1 TB butter to pot with cabbage; add leeks and garlic. Sauté over medium heat until leeks soften slightly—about 3 minutes. Stir in potatoes, Parmesean rind (if using), and bay leaf. Add 6 cups broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until all vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard Parmesean rind (if using) and bay leaf. Working in batches puree the soup, return to pot. We just used our handy immersion blender right in the pot. Simmer until heated through, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to thin the soup to your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper; garnish with reserved cabbage, chives, and drizzle with creme fraiche.