Spinach soup with herbs and cloumage

2 Tbs. olive oil

half an onion, chopped

2 Tbs. minced green garlic (or 1-2 cloves of mature garlic)

2-inch strip of lemon zest, pared from the outer yellow peel

1 – 2 tsp minced fresh jalapeno peppers

1 medium Yukon gold or white potato, peeled and diced

3 cups light vegetable or chicken stock

6 ounces fresh tender spinach, well washed, stalks trimmed (about 4 packed cups)

½ (half) cup torn up parsley leaves

½ (half) cup torn up cilantro

2 Tbs. torn up mint

Cloumage cheese, smoothed out with a little cream

Slowly cook onion in olive oil over low heat, and as it softens, add garlic, lemon zest (just the yellow part of the peel, not the white) and minced jalapeno. When onion is very soft, stir in diced potato. Add stock, bring to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, until potato is done –5 minutes or so for small dice. Let cool and blend smooth. (Can be dome ahead and kept in fridge until you’re ready to finish soup.) Return half the soup-base to the blender. Add half the parsley, cilantro and blitz. With blender running, add half the spinach a handful at a time, and blitz long and hard until soup is very smooth. Transfer to a pan. Blend the rest of the soup-base, herbs and spinach. (For a more refined soup, if you have the patience, pass soup through a sieve.) Return all the soup to the pan and check seasoning, adding salt to taste. Stir over medium heat until soup is warm and turns a brighter shade of green. Serve in bowls with a dollop of tart Cloumage cheese whisked smooth with a little cream.