Thick soup with stellino, eggs & drizzle
TIME 45 mins
DIFFICULTY Easy
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium-sized zucchini, diced
1 small cauliflower, florets separated
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
4 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup small pasta (such as orzo or ditalini)
4 eggs
HERB DRIZZLE
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 clove of garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
METHOD
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced leek and minced garlic, and sauté for about 3-4 minutes until they start to soften.
Add the diced zucchini, cauliflower florets, and corn kernels to the pot. Stir well to combine the ingredients.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
While the soup is simmering, cook the tiny pasta according to the package instructions in a separate pot. Drain and set aside.
Remove the pot from the heat and let the soup cool slightly. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, carefully puree the soup until smooth and creamy. If using a regular blender, blend the soup in batches, taking care not to overfill the blender.
Return the soup to the pot and place it back on the stove over low heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir well to incorporate the flavors.
Add the cooked tiny pasta to the soup and stir to combine. Allow the soup to heat through for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally.
To poach the eggs, create four wells in the soup by gently pushing aside the soup with a spoon. Crack one egg into each well. Cover the pot and let the eggs poach in the hot soup for about 4-5 minutes, or until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still slightly runny.
While the eggs are poaching, prepare the herb drizzle. In a blender or food processor, combine the coriander leaves, chopped chives, garlic clove, salt, and olive oil. Blend until smooth.
Once the eggs are poached, remove the pot from the heat and ladle the soup with a poached egg into individual serving bowls.
Drizzle the herb mixture over the soup and poached eggs.