1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions, chopped
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 bunch green onions, minced
1/2 cup minced carrot
1/2 cup minced celery
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 cup coarsely chopped parsley
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach
18 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup small fresh basil leaves
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and cayenne pepper
Recipe Directions
1. Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot over moderate heat. Add red and yellow onions; saute about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add green onions, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley, cinnamon, nutmeg and tomato paste. Stir and cook 5 minutes.
2. Wash spinach and remove stems. Blanch leaves briefly in boiling water. Shock leaves in ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well; chop coarsely.
3. Add chopped tomatoes, spinach, sugar, orange zest and orange juice to pot. Add stock and wine. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in basil and remove from heat. Puree soup in a blender in batches. Return to pot; season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne. Reheat and divide among warm bowls to serve.
Makes about 9 cups, 8 to 10 first-course servings, 4 or 5 main-course servings.
