Potage De Vigilla
This soup is traditionally served on Good Friday and other fast days, hence the name "soup of the vigil".
Credited to: Coeliac UK
Kcal: 390.0
Difficulty: Pretty easy
Serves 4
10 mins prep
60 mins cooking time
Ingredients
• 150g salted cod, desalted and prepared* (see note on salted cod)
• 60ml olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 25g gluten free plain flour*
• 1L vegetable stock*
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 200g fresh spinach, washed, trimmed and coarsely chopped
• 4 whole blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
• 2 eggs, hard-boiled (you only need the cooked egg yolks)
• 1 slice gluten-free white bread*, cut into ½ inch squares
Method
- Place the desalted cod into a saucepan, adding enough fresh water to cover the fish by 1 inch, and bring to a boil over high heat. (Taste the water. If it seems excessively salty, drain, cover with fresh water, and bring to a boil again.)
- Reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily. Drain thoroughly.
- With a small knife, remove and discard the skin and any bones, then separate the fish into coarse flakes. Save the cooked cod to finished the soup.
- Heat 50ml olive oil, reserving some for the croutons in a large pan, fry the diced onions gently without colour for about 7-8 minutes, add the garlic, and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to soak up the oil, then gradually add the vegetable stock.
- Bring to the boil. Add the chickpeas, paprika and bay leaf and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the fresh spinach and flake cod and leave to simmer for a further 10 minutes.
- Chop the almonds or mash in a mortar and pestle with the egg yolks.
- Fry the gluten-free bread squares in oil until you get a crisp crouton. Transfer these croutons to paper towels to drain.
- Crumble the croutons, and mash them into the almond and egg. Place in a pot to serve as a garnish for the soup.
- Remove the bay leaf from the soup taste for seasoning and serve with the almond, egg and crouton garnish in a small separate bowl.
Nutritional information per serving
Kcal
390
Fat
23.2g
Carbs
23.4g
Protein
21.4g
Fibre
5.6g
Sugars
4.6g
Hints and tips:
We have used salted cod in a couple of the recipes. This can be bought on line or from a specialist shop. However, you can make your own salt cod so here is our recipe for home-made salt cod from fresh cod.
Place a layer (1cm) of salt into a plastic container and place a thick piece of cod, skin side down on top of the salt. Cover with another thick layer of salt. Then place in the fridge. By the next day, the salt will have turned to brine. Removed the cod from the brine and rinse under cold water. Cover with fresh water and leave to soak for one hour. It is then ready to use.
If you buy salted cod you will need to desalt it first. This is done by soaking the cod for at least 24 hours in cold water, changing the water at least five or six times.
After soaking, shred the cod into small pieces or cook and then shred depending on the recipe.
Place a layer (1cm) of salt into a plastic container and place a thick piece of cod, skin side down on top of the salt. Cover with another thick layer of salt. Then place in the fridge. By the next day, the salt will have turned to brine. Removed the cod from the brine and rinse under cold water. Cover with fresh water and leave to soak for one hour. It is then ready to use.
If you buy salted cod you will need to desalt it first. This is done by soaking the cod for at least 24 hours in cold water, changing the water at least five or six times.
After soaking, shred the cod into small pieces or cook and then shred depending on the recipe.
