This week, we received mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) in our CSA bag and honestly, I'm so thankful a few people on the NDO team pointed me in the direction of Martha Stewart's Mugwort Soup recipe because I had no idea what to do with this green. It has a really aromatic smell and I was definitely excited to cook with it. We didn't have enough mugwort for the 8 cups recommended for this recipe, so we added baby spinach to help boost the greens in this soup.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion
2 scallions
2 cloves garlic
8 ounces white mushrooms
2 medium golden potatoes
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup mugwort
2-3 cups baby spinach
Hot sauce to taste
Freshly ground pepper for serving
Instructions
Prep Your Ingredients: Thinly slice the onion and scallions. Mince the garlic. Roughly chop the mushrooms. Cut the potatoes into medium sized chunks. Wash the mugwort and spinach and set aside.
Start the Soup: Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a 2 quart pan. Add the sliced onions and scallions and cook until softened, about 4-6 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are soft and their liquids have begun to release, about 3-5 minutes more minutes. Add the potatoes and broth and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are softened and the liquid as reduced slightly.
Add the Greens: Stir in the heavy cream and add the mugwort and spinach. Simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. Add the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender and pulse until the soup is creamy and thick.
Plate it Up: Divid the soup between bowls and top with a crack of pepper and a few splashes of hot sauce. Enjoy!