Escarole Soup with Rice - via Thirty bucks a week blog

This looks delicious and economical.

From NY Times via Thirty Bucks a week, another fun food blog:

http://thirtyaweek.wordpress.com/

Recipe: Escarole Soup with Rice Time: About 30 minutes

Time: About 30 minutes

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil

3 or 4 cloves garlic, finely minced, plus 4 or 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped onions

4 cups coarsely chopped escarole (about one head)

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock, or water

1/4 cup short-grain white rice, like arborio

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional).

1. Put 2 tablespoons oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add onions and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 more minutes. Add escarole and cook, tossing gently, until it begins to wilt, about another 3 minutes.

2. Add stock and rice to the pan, bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook about 20 minutes or until rice is tender.

3. Meanwhile, put remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet. When oil is hot, add sliced garlic and cook over medium-low heat until it turns golden brown and begins to crisp. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside.

4. When rice is cooked through, season soup with salt and pepper, top with a grating of Parmesan and garnish with garlic slivers.

Yield: 4 servings.