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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 v
This soup is so quick and easy and also very soothing and nourishing. You can buy dried wakame seaweed from any good health-food shop and many supermarkets. You only need a little and what is left over will keep perfectly in a dry place for months. Good-quality, unpasterised miso is also widely available; you’ll find it a useful flavouring for many savoury dishes, but always remember to add it at the end of cooking to preserve the health-giving enzymes it contains.
SERVES 4
5cm (2in) piece of wakame seaweed
2 dried shiitake mushrooms, if available
1.2 litres (2 pints) water
4 spring onions, chopped
4 tsp brown rice miso
Soak the wakame and shiitake mushrooms in a cupful of the water for about 10 minutes, then drain, reserving the liquid.
Cut the wakame into shreds, discarding any hard bits, and slice the mushrooms. Put these into a large saucepan, along with their soaking water, the 1.2 litres (2 pints) of water, and the spring onions and simmer for 5–10 minutes.
Put the miso into a small bowl, add a ladleful of the soup and stir until blended, then tip the mixture back into the pan. Leave the pan over the heat for 2–3 minutes, without letting it boil, then serve.
French onion soup
You don’t need beef stock to make a delectable French onion soup. This vegetarian version fills the house with its aroma as it cooks and keeps everyone satisfied, I promise you.
SERVES 4
1 tbsp olive oil
450g (1lb) onion, sliced
1 tbsp flour
850ml (1½ pints) water
1 tbsp high-quality bouillon powder
3 tbsp sherry
1 large garlic clove, crushed
4 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices of baguette
75–125g (3–4oz) Gruyère cheese, grated
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions slowly for 15–20 minutes until they’re golden, stirring from time to time.
Add the flour and cook for a few seconds before stirring in the water, bouillon powder, sherry, garlic, mustard and some salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil, then leave to simmer gently, covered, for 30 minutes.
Just before the soup is ready, warm four heatproof soup bowls and lightly toast the baguette. Heat the grill to medium-high.
Check the consistency of the soup, adding a splash of boiling water if it needs to be a bit thinner, and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Put a slice of toasted baguette into each bowl and ladle the soup on top. Scatter with the grated cheese and place the bowls under the grill for a few minutes. Serve the soup immediately, bubbling and oozing with molten cheese.
Parsnip soup
This is one of the soups that I grew up with, and one I often made for guests when working at a retreat centre. It’s a beautiful soup that costs next to nothing to make.
SERVES 4
1 tbsp olive oil
15g (½oz) butter
225g (8oz) parsnips, peeled and diced
1 carrot, sliced
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
425ml (15fl oz) water
425ml (15fl oz)milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1–2 pinches of ground mace
dusting of paprika, to garnish
Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan, add the parsnips, carrot, potato and onion and fry over a gentle heat, with a lid on the pan, for 10 minutes.
Add the bay leaf, water and milk. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, then blend the soup.
Season with salt, pepper and mace. Serve with a dusting of paprika on top.
Soupe au pistou v
This delicious soup from southern France makes a filling main course with warm crusty bread.
SERVES 4
2 onions, chopped
100ml (3½fl oz) olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
225g (8oz) courgettes, sliced
125g (4oz) green beans, sliced
450g (1lb) tomatoes, skinned and chopped
225g (8oz) dried haricot beans, soaked, cooked (#litres_trial_promo) and drained, or 2 x 400g cans
1.7 litres (3 pints) vegetable stock or water plus 4 tsp bouillon powder
50g (2oz) vermicelli
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves, crushed
leaves from a bunch of basil
Fry the onions in 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the courgettes, green beans, tomatoes, haricot beans and the stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20–30 minutes.
Add the vermicelli and cook for 8–10 minutes or until it’s tender. Season well.
While the soup is cooking, whiz together the remaining oil with the garlic and basil. Stir this fragrant purée into the soup and serve in warmed bowls.
Green pea soup with mint and cream
Frozen peas make a vivid green soup with a very smooth texture. It looks lovely swirled with cream and flecked with dark green chopped mint, and is good either hot or chilled.
SERVES 4
1 tbsp olive oil
15g (½oz) butter
1 onion, chopped
900g (2lb) frozen peas
1.2 litres (2 pints) light vegetable stock or water
a few sprigs of thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
TO GARNISH
150ml (5fl oz) single cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry gently for 5–7 minutes, with a lid on the pan, until fairly soft but not browned.
Add the peas, the stock or water and the thyme. Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
Blend, and if you want it silky soft, make sure you do this thoroughly. For perfection, you could then pass it through a sieve, pushing through as much of the pea purée as you can, but this isn’t by any means essential – you’ll still have a great soup without this extra effort.
Season the soup and gently reheat, then ladle into bowls and top each with a good splash of cream and a scattering of mint.
Potato soup with fresh herbs
Although this is a simple soup, it always tastes good, with its smooth creamy texture and topping of fresh green herbs.
SERVES 4
