Spinach Soup With Ricotta

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, add the onions, sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt and cook for 15–20 minutes until soft and syrupy, stirring occasionally, without allowing them to brown.
2. Add the wine, turn the heat up and cook to reduce it by half. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
3. Put in the spinach with half the parsley, bring back to a boil, and then cover and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring the soup after a couple of minutes to submerge the leaves. Add the remaining parsley at the last minute, and then purée the soup in a blender. Season with black pepper and a little more salt if necessary.
4. Gently reheat the soup, and add a squeeze of lemon juice – if this is added too far in advance the soup will dull in color.
5. While the soup is cooking, preheat the broiler and cook the bacon until golden and crisp.
6. Place a tablespoon of ricotta in the center of four warm soup bowls and ladle the soup around it. Lay a couple of strips of bacon in the middle and serve immediately.

Recipe from Soup, Glorious Soup by Annie Bell (Kyle Books; 2011)

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