Savory plantain soup: a smooth, starchy bowl for the days you want something filling and plain

Green plantains simmer down into something thick and satisfying, the kind of bowl that actually holds you over on a day when you want a plain, filling starch and potatoes, rice, and bread are not part of this way of eating right now.

Green plantains are a source of resistant starch and potassium, involved in fluid balance and muscle function, and the slow simmer turns them silky enough to blend smooth. Carrots add beta-carotene, the plant form of vitamin A involved in healthy mucous membranes and skin. It is simple food doing real work, and there is nothing complicated about it, which is exactly why it is easy to come back to.

Whole food asks for a little patience and gives a lot back. Take the time to soften the vegetables properly, let the plantains go fully tender, then blend it until it is velvet. Serve it warm with the cilantro on top, sit down, and actually taste it. A plain bowl, made with care, is its own kind of nourishment.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped (omit if onion is a trigger for you, as the source notes for interstitial cystitis)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 2 large green plantains, peeled and sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, for garnish
• (black pepper omitted for AIP)

Method

Warm the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, carrot, and garlic and cook gently until they soften and smell sweet.

Pour in the broth, bring it up to a boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer.

Add the sliced plantains, the bay leaf, the ground ginger, and the salt. Simmer uncovered for about 40 to 50 minutes, until the plantains are completely tender and easy to mash against the side of the pot.

Fish out the bay leaf. Blend the soup smooth, either with an immersion blender right in the pot or in batches in a stand blender. Taste for salt, ladle into bowls, and finish with fresh cilantro.

Instant Pot variation

Use the saute setting to warm the coconut oil and soften the celery, onion, carrot, and garlic. Add the broth, plantains, bay leaf, ginger, and salt. Seal and pressure cook on high for about 12 to 15 minutes (untested range, verify), then let the pressure release naturally for around 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, blend smooth, and garnish with cilantro.

A note for a thicker result

The source points out that if you blend it with less broth, this thickens into a dairy-free sauce you can spoon over vegetables or use as a 'nacho' style topping. Hold back some of the broth while blending if you want that, then thin it back to soup later if you change your mind.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*