I started making this soup one summer when a customer brought us the zucchini that seemed to be inundating her garden. Some of them were so big they would not even fit into the pot. (We used those whoppers for decorations—guaranteed to give customers a laugh). The rest went into the first batches of this spinach and zucchini bisque.

Ingredients:

Roasted Leeks:
4 leeks, thoroughly washed and sliced about
1 inch thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Soup:
3 tablespoons butter
3 whole cloves garlic, peeled
1 Spanish onion, peeled and diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 bulb fennel, diced
2 pounds zucchini, cut into chunks
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
8 cups vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound fresh spinach leaves
2 cups light cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Roasted leeks (from recipe)

Directions:

For the roasted leeks: Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a mixing bowl toss the leeks with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing occasionally with a spoon so they brown on all sides.

For the soup: Melt the butter in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, celery, and fennel. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, potatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are soft and tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the nutmeg and spinach leaves, stirring until the spinach wilts.

Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches with a regular blender until smooth. Add the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the roasted leeks.

Makes 8 servings