Brazilian Hearts of Palm Soup

Instructions

1. 1

   Drain 400 g canned hearts of palm and slice into 0.5 cm thin rounds. Set aside 3 tablespoons of slices for garnish. Finely dice 100 g yellow onion and mince 10 g garlic cloves. Set a medium soup pot on your stove.

2. 2

   Place the pot over medium heat and melt 30 g unsalted butter until it foams gently. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until soft and translucent without scorching or browning.

3. 3

   Add the sliced hearts of palm and pour in 750 ml warm vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the palm pieces are completely tender.

4. 4

   Turn off the heat. Insert an immersion blender directly into the pot and blend the mixture until completely smooth, silky, and free of lumps, taking about 2 minutes. Be careful with hot splashes while blending.

5. 5

   In a small bowl, whisk 15 g cornstarch into 150 ml heavy cream until dissolved. Place the pot back over low heat, pour in the cream mixture while stirring with a whisk, and simmer for 3 minutes until thickened. Add 5 g salt to taste.

6. 6

   Check the texture; if too thick, stir in a splash of warm water. Ladle the hot soup evenly into 4 bowls. Garnish top with reserved sliced hearts of palm and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately while warm.