Lettuce Soup

By GiGi26 • September 6, 2012 • 0 Comments

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Author Notes: It seems to happen time and time again; I buy romaine for salad and end up with left over lettuce . Not wanting it to go to waste I decided to try making soup with it. I wanted it to be a creamy soup but didn't want to use milk or cream. This ended up being one of my granddaughters favorites. - GiGi26

Serves 4

2 tablespoons Butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium new potatoes, diced 1/4 inch
2 heads romaine lettuce, sliced, hard end discarded
5 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 inch thick deli ham ( I use hickory smoked ) cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup julienned (not grated) parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter over medium heat in a heavy Soup Pot or Dutch Oven. Saute onion and potatoe in the butter until the onion browns slightly and the potato starts to stick.
Pour in 1/4 cup of the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, loosening any brown bits from the bottom.
Add the lettuce, stir and cover to steam briefly. Stir every minute or so and continue until the lettuce is thoroughly wilted.
Add the rest of the broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat, add the basil and process with an immersion blender. Add the salt and pepper to taste.
Add the ham and cheese and stir briefly ( you don't want the cheese to disappear)
Serve with a loaf of crusty bread or good croutons.