(1¾ pints) unsalted stock
1 bouquet garni – a couple of sprigs of parsley, a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf tied together
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook, covered, for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and all the other vegetables, cover and cook gently for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Add the lentils, stock and the bouquet garni and bring to the boil, then cover and leave to simmer for about 1 hour or until the lentils are tender.
Remove the bouquet garni, stir in the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper.
Lettuce soup
Why throw away the outer leaves of a lettuce that you’ve so carefully grown just because they’re too coarse for a salad? Make them into this fresh and summery soup instead.
SERVES 4
1 tbsp olive oil
15g (½oz) butter
1 onion, chopped
450g (1lb) potatoes, peeled and diced
outside leaves of 2–3 lettuces, chopped
1 litre (1¾ pints) water
150ml (5fl oz) single cream
salt, freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan and cook the onion and potato gently for 5 minutes with a lid on the pan, but don’t brown them.
Add the lettuce leaves and stir them for a minute or two until they’re glossy with the oil, then pour in the water or stock and bring to the boil. Simmer the soup gently, with a lid on the pan, for 15–20 minutes or until the potato is very tender.
Blend the soup and stir in the cream. Season with salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg and stir in the chopped chives.
Reheat and serve in warm bowls.
Cream of mushroom soup
My father was brilliant at finding field mushrooms – probably due to years of practice growing up on a farm in the Yorkshire Dales – and this is the soup that my mother used to make with his precious finds. It works very well with other types of mushrooms too.
SERVES 4
225g (8oz) mushrooms
1 small onion, quartered
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, sliced
a few parsley stalks
575ml (1 pint) vegetable stock
50g (2oz) butter
40g (1½oz) flour
about 575ml (1 pint) milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp sherry (optional)
Wash the mushrooms and remove the stalks. If you’re using field mushrooms take off the skins too, but this isn’t necessary with cultivated mushrooms. Put the stalks (and skins if you’ve removed them) into a medium-sized saucepan together with the onion, bay leaf, garlic, parsley stalks and stock and bring to the boil, then leave to simmer for 10 minutes to extract the flavours. Strain the liquid into a measuring jug (discarding the stalks) and make the quantity up to 850ml (1½ pints) with the milk.
Melt 40g (1½noz) of the butter in the saucepan and stir in the flour. When it froths, pour in a quarter of the milk mixture and stir over a fairly high heat until it has thickened. Repeat the process with the rest of the milk in three more batches.
Chop or slice the mushrooms, fry them lightly in the remaining butter and add to the thickened milk.
Season with salt, pepper, a grating of nutmeg, a pinch of cayenne and the sherry if you’re using it. Cook gently for 3–4 minutes to give the flavours a chance to blend, then serve.
Vegetarian-style minestrone soup
A filling, main course soup that’s always great for feeding a crowd.
SERVES 4
2 tbsp olive oil
3 onions, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 sticks of celery, sliced
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1cm (½in) dice
a few leaves of cabbage, chopped
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 litre (1¾ pints) stock or water
bouquet garni
225g (8oz) dried haricot, borlotti or cannellini beans, cooked, or 2 x 400g cans
50g (2oz) macaroni or small pasta shapes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp torn fresh basil leaves, to garnish
handful of grated strongly flavoured cheese such as pecorino or Parmesan-style, to serve
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, carrot and celery, cover and cook gently for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and the other vegetables and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stock or water and the bouquet garni. Bring to the boil, then boil for 10 minutes.
Add the drained cooked beans and the macaroni or pasta shapes and cook until the pasta is just tender, about 8-10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, and serve in warm bowls with torn fresh basil leaves sprinkled over the top. Hand the cheese round separately for people to help themselves.
Miso soup
