Ingredients
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6 tablespoons unsalted butter
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2 garlic cloves (crushed & finely minced)
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3/4 cup fresh dill (chopped)
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1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning (more as desired)
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2 medium tomatoes (ripe, seeded & chopped)
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8 ounces smoked salmon (finely chopped)
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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8 cups water
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2 cups fresh spinach (10 oz pkg, stems removed & leaves finely chopped)
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2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
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1/3 cup vodka
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2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
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fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
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snipped fresh chives (optional garnish)
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1 1/2 cups onions (yellow or white variety, finely chopped)
Instructions
- Melt butter in med-size stock pot over med heat. Add onion + garlic & saute till onions are soft, 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in dill, Old Bay Seasoning, tomatoes & smoked salmon. Cook 3 minutes. Then add flour & cook 1 min more.
- Gradually stir in water & heat to a soft boil. Reduce heat & simmer uncovered over med-low heat for 20 minutes.
- Stir in spinach & simmer 5 more minutes.
- Stir in cream cheese (1 oz at a time) over low heat, allowing ea bit to melt into the soup.
- When all the cream cheese has been added & the soup is smooth, stir in the vodka & lemon juice. Taste for seasonings & serve immediately.
- NOTES: I entered this recipe as given to me & made a half recipe w/2 chgs in my trial version.
- I left out the vodka (none in the house!), subbed dry white wine & frankly doubt I will ever use the vodka. I pd homage to a DH pers pref & subbed diced broccoli florets for the spinach. I pd homage to 1 of my own by adding 4 oz baby shrimp.
- Pers pref are often at the heart of any success a recipe enjoys. I found this soup in need of salt, but DH did not. He found the lemon juice a bit excessive, but I did not. Bottom line is tasting for your pers pref is advised.