SOUP
The texture of this soup is so velvety; it can be eaten simply as a snack but is also elegant enough for a dinner party. If you want to make it even more sophisticated, you can serve it with seared scallops. The use of curry powder with cauliflower certainly isn’t a new combination – it helps to offset the soup’s richness. The most important thing with this soup, however, is the cooking. You wouldn’t overcook cauliflower normally, so don’t do it when it’s in a soup.
SERVES 4
VEGETARIAN
30g (1¼ oz) butter
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
½ white onion, peeled and diced
225g (8oz) potatoes, peeled and diced
½ tsp mild curry powder
75ml (3fl oz) white wine
750ml (1 pint 6fl oz) vegetable stock
1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
100g (3½ oz) diced leek (white part only)
2 slices of white bread (crusts removed), cut into cubes
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
200ml (7fl oz) double cream
Salt and black pepper
1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and when it starts to foam, add the garlic and onion and fry, without browning, for 2–3 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes, curry powder, white wine and stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the cauliflower and leek and simmer for a further 6–8 minutes or until the cauliflower is just cooked.
3. Meanwhile, place a small frying pan over a high heat and sauté the bread in the olive oil for 2–3 minutes or until browned, then drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
4. Pour the cream into the saucepan and bring back up to the boil, then remove from the heat and allow to cool for 2–3 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor or blender and purée until smooth. Pour the soup back into the pan and gently bring to a simmer, then season with salt and pepper.
5. Divide between bowls, then sprinkle with the croûtons, drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.
LEEK AND ROCKET SOUP WITH GOAT’S CHEESE
This classic combination of flavours is a favourite of many. It’s important to pay close attention to the cooking time because if you cook the soup for too long you will lose the flavours and the colour. This soup is also good served cold, but it may be a good idea to add a little more liquid, as the texture tends to change and thicken as it cools. I like to use Mrs Wecksby’s goat’s cheese, or Perroche goat’s cheese from Neal’s Yard, but any other soft goat’s cheese will do fine too.
SERVES 4
VEGETARIAN
1–2 tbsp olive oil
1 large potato, peeled and cut into small dice
1 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 sprig of thyme
2 leeks, trimmed and chopped
1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable stock
150ml (5fl oz) double cream
100g (3½oz) rocket leaves
Salt and black pepper
TO SERVE
200g (7oz) soft goat’s cheese
1 sprig of chervil, chopped
1. Place a heavy-based pan over a medium heat, pour in the olive oil and add the potato, onion and thyme, then sauté, without browning, for 2–3 minutes. Add the leeks and cook for 1 further minute. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
2. Pour in the cream and bring back up to the boil, then remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour the soup into a blender and pulse until smooth, then add the rocket leaves and pulse again. Transfer the soup back into the pan and gently bring to a simmer, then season with salt and pepper.
3. Divide the soup between bowls, crumble over the goat’s cheese, garnish with the chervil and serve.
A great classic soup with pesto added right at the end, this is easy to make and nice as a starter or a simple snack. It’s definitely a summer soup and you should always use the very best fresh summer vegetables to give maximum colour and flavour. I mix and match the pasta, as it’s a good way to use up broken or leftover bits. The best pistou soup I have come across was in Nice. Not surprising when you consider that the ingredients in its famous Niçoise salad are pretty similar to the ingredients for pistou.
SERVES 6–8
11 plum tomatoes
100g (3½oz) frozen broad beans
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 leek, trimmed and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 courgettes, topped, tailed and diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 x 250g can of haricot beans, drained and rinsed
75g (3oz) dried spaghetti
75g (3oz) French beans, topped and tailed and cut into 4 pieces
100g (3½oz) frozen peas
Salt and black pepper
1 handful of basil leaves, to garnish
FOR THE PISTOU
60g (2½oz) fresh basil leaves
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 skinned, deseeded and chopped tomato (reserved from step 5)
75g (3oz) grated Parmesan cheese
135ml (4½fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
1. Score a cross in the bottom of each tomato, place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 45 seconds, then drain and peel off the skin. Cut the tomatoes into quarters, remove the seeds and chop the flesh. Blanch the broad beans for 2–3 minutes in boiling
