ingredients
serves 4
800 g (1 3/4lbs) fresh spinach
1 tbsp polyunsaturated sunflower oil
1 large onion, chopped
30 g (1 oz) wholemeal flour
840 ml (1 1/2 pints) skimmed milk
Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
140 ml (1/4 pint) 1% fat fromage frais, or natural yoghurt
method
1. Wash the spinach thoroughly and trim away any tough stalks. Shred the spinach finely.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the chopped onion gently, until transparent, but not coloured.
3. Stir the flour into the onion, and add the milk gradually, stirring between additions, until the mixture has thickened.
4. Stir the spinach into the onion and milk mixture and cook for 5 minutes over a gentle heat, adding a little water or milk, if the mixture becomes too thick.
5. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
6. Put the soup into a liquidizer or food processor and blend for about 30 seconds, until the spinach has been roughly chopped.
7. Return the soup to the saucepan, cover and cook for a further 5 minutes.
8. Stir all but 2 tbsps of the fromage frais or yoghurt into the soup and reheat gently without boiling.
9. Pour the soup into individual bowls and garnish with a swirl of the remaining fromage frais or yoghurt.
