Beet Green and Bulgur Soup with Poached Eggs

This rustic soup is made with just a few ingredients, but don’t let its simplicity fool you: Its full-flavored and remarkably comforting. Its also perfect for a weeknight. Bulgur, which is simply wheat kernels that have been steamed, dried, and crushed, cooks about as quickly as rice. Be sure to use a pot that’s at least 10 inches wide; otherwise, the poached eggs will sink deep into the soup and you’ll have a hard time telling when they’re done.

Serves 4

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

4 medium cloves garlic, minced

2 quarts lower-salt chicken or vegetable broth

8 cups lightly packed stemmed beet greens, cut into 1-inch pieces

¾ cup whole-grain, quick-cooking bulgur, such as Bob’s Red Mill

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 large eggs

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Heat the olive oil in a large pot that’s about 10 inches wide over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often until golden-brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth, raise the heat to medium high, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the beet greens and bulgur. Cover and simmer vigorously, adjusting the heat as needed, until the greens and bulgur are tender, about 24 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Adjust the heat as needed to achieve a gentle simmer. Crack one of the eggs into a small bowl and pour it onto the soup near the edge of the pot. Repeat with the remaining eggs, positioning them around the perimeter of the pot. Spoon hot broth over the eggs and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft, about 3 minutes.

Carefully ladle the soup and eggs into bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano and serve.

 

It is a quote. Fine Cooking Magazine October / November 2011