Scallion and New Potato Soup with a Tomato Salad
Ingredients
The Soup
- 2 big bunches green onions (scallions or table onions), including the firm greens
- 1 pound new potatoes, a single variety or a mixture of varieties, scrubbed
- 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
The Tomato Salad
- ¾ to 1 cup halved or diced fresh tomatoes, such as small cherry or pear types
- Several opal or Italian basil leaves, finely slivered
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Slice the scallions about ¼ inch thick. Dice the potatoes into small irregular cubes. You should have about 2 cups.
Notes
Heat the butter and oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the scallions, give them a turn, and cook for a minute. Add the potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When you get a whiff that says “home fries,” add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot to give the soup a little more substance. Taste for salt and season with pepper.
Toss the tomatoes with the basil, shallot, and oil. Season with a pinch of sea salt or to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls, spoon some of the tomatoes and their juices into each portion, then serve.
Editor’s Note: Local I’itoi onions are a wonderful substitute for the green onions.
*Reprinted with permission from Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen, 2006 Broadway Books, NewYork, NY.
