Instructions: Cook the onions in the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, adding a sprinkle of salt and stirring occasionally, until they are soft and golden-brown, 30 to 45 minutes.

Scrub and trim the potatoes, dice them, put them in a soup pot with the water and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring the water to a simmer.

Meanwhile, wash the beet greens and spinach thoroughly, trim away the tough stems and coarsely chop the leaves. When the water in the pot is simmering, add the beet greens, spinach, green onions and cilantro. The greens will look like an enormous pile at first but will soon shrink down into the liquid. When the onions are caramelized, add them to the soup as well.

Simmer the soup until all the vegetables are very soft, at least half an hour. Add the broth and puree the soup. Process just until the texture is velvety smooth but no longer, as over-processing can make potatoes gummy (When you puree the soup, its easiest to use a hand-held blender in the pot, rather than transfer the hot soup to a blender. If you do use a blender, puree the soup in small batches).

Return the soup to the pot, bring it back to just under a simmer and season it with additional salt, pepper to taste, the cayenne and at least the lemon juice, adding more if you like. (Remember to add the seasonings a little at a time.) Stir well, wait a moment, then taste.

If the soup is too thick, it can be diluted with some additional vegetable broth or a bit of water. Garnish each serving with crumbled queso fresco, feta cheese or garlic croutons.

This recipe yields 8 to 10 servings.

Comments: This is one of my favorite variations. Beet greens give the soup a rich flavor with an edge of sweetness, which is balanced by the lemon juice and cayenne. I also find that when I use beet greens, the soup has a creamier texture. I prefer greens from golden beets, but any variety can be used. I prefer using red or Yukon Gold potatoes.

NOTES :

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