Avocado Pear Soup with Beet Greens and Cauliflower

• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 generous cups cauliflower florets
• 2 cups loosely packed beet greens, roughly chopped
• 2 avocados, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 large ripe and juicy pears, cored skin left on and roughly chopped
• 3 1/2 cups (900 mL) chicken or vegetable stock
• Handful of parsley
• 1 tsp coarse black pepper
• Seasonings to taste

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In a large skillet set over medium-low heat, sautée onion in some olive oil until translucent (about 3 minutes).  Add cauliflower and pear to skillet, sautéing for another 5 minutes or so.  Add chicken or vegetable stock to skillet followed by beet greens and parsley, mixing ingredients to combine.  Allow mixture to come to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover – allowing fruit and vegetables to soften for approximately 12 minutes in the skillet.

Remove skillet from heat.  Working in batches, if necessary, add soup to blender along with avocado and blend until smooth.  It should have the consistency of purée – you can adjust the thickness by adding water or more stock as desired and season to taste.

The soup tastes best eaten freshly made.

Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt if you wish or on its own.

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Bold and aromatic, this Jamaican inspired soup is full of thermogenic spices that will warm your tummy while it nudges your metabolism.

Although it is more conventionally teamed up with lunch or supper, I ate it for breakfast this morning and can attest to its deliciousness even at that odd hour.

The persimmon has nothing to do with Jamaica – it was just staring at me with a gorgeous orange glow and I simply couldn’t resist it’s soft, juicy, sweet flesh in this dish.  Known for its many medicinal uses, this native Chinese fruit is also rich in nutrients including beta-carotene, vitamin C and fibre.  Persimmon is at its best from October through December.

Jamaican Plantain Soup with Persimmon – An Aromatic Delight

• 1 large yellow onion (the basis of all good soups), peeled and chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 ripe plantains, peeled and roughly chopped (substitute ripe bananas)
• 1 persimmon, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups leek (substitute celery), chopped
• 4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock plus additional water if needed
• 1 heaping Tbsp fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
• 1 tsp allspice powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder or to taste
• 4 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• Sea Salt & black pepper to taste

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Note:

There are plenty of suitable substitutions you can make in this dish and you certainly don’t have to go out and track down persimmon, unless you want to.  I have used green apple in place of persimmon in this soup and found it equally delicious.
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Warm a large skillet or pot on stove over medium-low heat adding some olive oil.  Sauté onion and ginger until onion begins to soften (about 5 minutes).  I like to add spices – or at least a portion of the spices – to the onion while it cooks.  The spices permeate the flesh of the onion well, making it an ideal flavour transporter.  Toss in some (or all) of the allspice, cinnamon and cayenne at this stage, mixing them around with the onion and ginger.

Add chicken or vegetable stock to the skillet along with sweet potato, plantain, persimmon and leek and bring mixture to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer with the pot covered for 10 to 15 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Purée ingredients in a blender until smooth and then return to skillet/pot. Stir in lime juice and adjust seasonings to taste. You can also adjust thickness of soup by adding water or more stock as desired.

Enjoy.