litres (2½ pints) water
Salt and black pepper
About 4 tbsp truffle oil, to serve
For the cheese crisps
40g (1½oz) freshly grated Parmesan-style cheese
2 tbsp semolina
1. Fry the onion and celeriac in the oil in a large saucepan, covered, for 5 minutes, until beginning to soften.
2. Pour in 1 litre (1¾ pints) of the water, bring to the boil, then leave to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the celeriac is tender.
3. Meanwhile, make the cheese crisps: sprinkle just over half the cheese into a large, dry frying pan, to make a thin, lacy layer. Put the frying pan over a moderate heat for about 30 seconds, until the cheese has melted, then sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the semolina over the top, followed by the rest of the cheese, then the last of the semolina. Leave it for about another minute, until the cheese turns pale golden, then take the pan off the heat and leave the crisp to cool in it. It will crisp as it cools and become easy to lift out of the frying pan with a spatula.
4. Blend the soup until it is smooth and creamy, using a hand-held blender or food processor, and adding the rest of the water as necessary to get the consistency you like. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve the soup in bowls, swirl some truffle oil on top, then scrunch some of the cheesy crisp over. Serve at once.
Tip: Real Parmesan cheese is not vegetarian because it is made using animal rennet. However, there are a number of strong or hard vegetarian Italian cheeses you can use instead.
Creamy Swede Soup with Fried Onion and Cumin Topping
Swedes are available all winter, and are cheap as chips, yet what can you do with them to make them taste really delicious? They’re good mashed in a half-and-half mix with carrots and also in a vegetable curry, where the spices add zing and interest. Or try them in this delicious soup; it’s naturally creamy and delicate, with the onion and cumin topping adding a lovely burst of extra flavour and texture.
Serves 4
Vegan
1 onion, chopped
1 swede, about 700g (1½lb), thickly peeled and cut into 1cm (½in) cubes
1 tbsp olive oil
Cinnamon stick
1.5 litres (2½ pints) water
Salt and black pepper
For the topping
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1. Fry the onion and swede in the oil in a large saucepan, with the cinnamon stick, covered, for 5 minutes, until beginning to soften.
2. Pour in 1 litre (1¾ pints) of the water, bring to the boil, then leave to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the swede is tender.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the topping: fry the onion in the oil for about 7 minutes, until tender, then turn up the heat and allow them to brown a bit. Add the cumin seeds for the last couple of minutes of cooking.
4. Blend the soup until it is really smooth and creamy, using a hand-held blender or food processor, and adding the rest of the water as necessary to get the consistency you like. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve the soup in bowls, each topped with a spoonful of the onion and cumin mixture.
Tip: This soup is also lovely made with parsnips instead of swedes.
Tuscan Bean Soup
You can’t beat this on a cold day with some good crusty bread, and it’s so quick and easy to make. You can vary the beans: borlotti are excellent, too.
Serves 4
Vegan
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 × 400g tins cannellini beans
About 400ml (14fl oz) water or vegetable stock
1 lemon, halved
Salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil, to serve (optional)
Roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions then cover and cook gently for 10 minutes, until tender but not brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes longer.
2. Add the cannellini beans, together with their liquid, then purée in a food processor or with a hand-held blender until fairly smooth and creamy.
3. Return the mixture to the pan and add some water or vegetable stock to adjust the consistency to your liking. Bring to the boil, then season with salt and pepper and a squeeze or two of lemon juice to bring out the flavour.
4. Serve the soup in warmed bowls, topped with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if you like, some flat-leaf parsley and coarsely ground black pepper.
Butternut Squash Soup with Chilli Oil
When it comes to making soup, you can’t get much simpler than this, yet it is one of the most delectable soups of all. There are two ways of making it: to keep within 30 minutes, I’m giving the top-of-the-stove version, but you can also roast the butternut squash instead (see tip), and whilst this takes around 1 hour, if you roast the squash in advance, perhaps when you’ve got the oven on for something else, this soup can be made in about 10 minutes.
Serves 4
Vegan
2 tbsp olive oil
1 butternut squash, weight about 1kg (21b 2oz), peeled and cut into 1cm (½in) cubes
About 750ml (27fl oz) vegetable stock, made with 1 tsp stock powder
