Pumpkin Soup Infused with Greek Sage Tea
Sage tea is one of the most delicious and therapeutic Greek herbal teas. In this Greek recipe, I transform a cup of tea into something with which to infuse a pot of soup! Enjoy this contemporary take on a Mediterranean Diet recipe and…sip away!
SERVES
4
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin Greek olive oil
- 2 red onions coarsely chopped
- 1 potato peeled and diced
- One 3-pound sweet pumpkin butternut, calabasa or kabocha squash—quartered, seeded, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 5 garlic cloves whole
- 6 cups vegetable stock or water
- 10 – 12 dried Greek sage tea leaves
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons Greek honey or petimezi
- 1 tablespoon Greek balsamic
- 2 scallions green part only, thinly sliced crosswise
Garnish:
- Toasted pumpkin seeds
- Fresh sage
- Drizzling of extra virgin Greek olive
Instructions
- In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and cook the onion, garlic, potato and pumpkin together, covered, over medium-low heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
- While the vegetables are simmering, make the tea infusion: In a cup, steep the sage tea in the boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain the tea.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender in the pot or, working in batches, in the bowl of a food processor, returning it to the pot. Add the tea and bring to a simmer. Season the soup with honey, balsamic, salt and pepper.
- In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the scallion greens and cook over high heat until softened, about 30 seconds. Season with salt.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle lightly with toasted pumpkin seeds, and scallions. Drizzle olive oil over the surface. Garnish with fresh sage leaves. Serve.
