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VARIATION
Lentil soup with garlic and cumin v
Make as described, but shortly before serving, fry a chopped onion in a little olive oil with 2 crushed garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons of ground cumin. Stir into the soup just before serving.
Lentil soup with caramelised onions v
Make as described, and while the soup is cooking, slowly fry 2 finely sliced onions in a tablespoon of olive oil until deep golden brown and very soft. This will take at least 20 minutes. Serve each portion of soup with a glossy pile of caramelised onions on top, or stir through the soup before serving.
Lentil and mushroom soup
The lentils and mushrooms in this soup blend beautifully to make a deep, dark soup with a rich, earthy flavour. If they don’t know, people sometimes think they’re just eating mushroom soup, but of course the lentils give it extra body and are full of nourishment.
SERVES 4
1 large onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
15g (5oz) butter
125g (4oz) mushrooms, chopped
125g (4oz) green or Puy lentils
850ml (1½ pints) water or unsalted vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or flakes of Parmesan-style cheese, to garnish
Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 4–5 minutes.
Add the lentils and the water or stock. Simmer gently, with a lid on the saucepan, for about 45 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
Blend the soup if you want a smoother texture and thin it with a bit more water if you wish. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Reheat the soup and serve it in warm bowls topped with some chopped parsley or flakes of Parmesan-style cheese.
Lentil, tomato and basil soup v
Although it’s generally best to avoid cooking pulses with tomatoes because the acidity can prevent them from softening properly, split red lentils are an exception as they are so quick to cook. The result is a lovely tasty soup.
SERVES 4
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 stick of celery, chopped
125g (4oz) split red lentils, washed
400g can tomatoes
850ml (1½ pints) unsalted stock or water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
squeeze of lemon juice
a few torn or shredded fresh basil leaves, to garnish
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and celery and cook gently, covered, for 7–10 minutes without browning.
Add the lentils, tomatoes and stock or water, bring to the boil and simmer gently, with the pan half covered, for 25–30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Blend to the consistency you like, then season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and perhaps a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavour.
Serve very hot, in warm bowls, scattered with the basil.
Lentil and vegetable soup v
Is there anything as satisfying, soothing and warming as a homemade lentil and vegetable soup filling the house with the scent of herbs? Plus, it’s so cheap and easy to make. It’s great as it is, or you could offer some flaked or grated strong cheese to stir into it and some chunks of country-style bread to mop up the juices.
SERVES 4
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed
2 large carrots, cut into small dice
2 sticks of celery, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
50g (2oz) mushrooms, chopped
75–125g (3–4oz) cabbage, shredded
125g (4 oz) dried green or Puy lentils, or a 400g can
1 litre (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 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 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
1 tbsp olive oil
15g (½oz) butter
1 onion, chopped
450g (1lb) potatoes, peeled and diced
850ml (1½ pints) water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
150ml (5fl oz) single cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (such as chives, parsley or tarragon), to garnish
Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and fry gently, with a lid on the pan, for 3–4 minutes. Add the potatoes, stir, then cover and cook gently for a further 5 minutes, without browning.
Pour in the water, bring to the boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Blend the soup, stir in the cream, then season with salt and pepper.
Reheat and serve sprinkled with the fresh herbs.
Pumpkin soup
Pumpkin makes a very delicious soup, golden in colour with a delicate yet distinctive flavour. It’s lovely sprinkled with chopped parsley and served with garlic bread.
SERVES 6
1 kg (2¼lb) pumpkin (weight includes skin and pips)
15g (½oz) butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
150ml (5fl oz) single cream or crème fraîche
Cut the skin off the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and cut the flesh into even-sized pieces.
Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and pumpkin and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Pour in the stock, season and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer until the pumpkin is tender (about 20 minutes).
Blend to a glorious golden purée, then add the cream and a splash more water to thin it if necessary.
Reheat gently then ladle into bowls and serve.
Spinach soup
Spinach makes a beautiful deep green soup with a sharp, iron-y flavour that’s sweetened by a spoonful of cream.
SERVES 4
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 potato, peeled and chopped
450g (1lb) spinach leaves
850ml (1½ pints) vegetable stock or water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
squeeze of lemon juice
4 tbsp single cream or crème fraîche, to garnish
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and potato and fry gently without browning, with a lid on the pan, for 5–10 minutes.
Push the spinach into the pan and pour in the stock or water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes or until the potato is tender.
Blend well, then adjust the consistency of the soup with a little water if necessary and season with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Reheat, then serve in warmed bowls with a spoonful of cream or crème fraîche on top of each.
Spinach and lentil soup v
Green lentils and spinach are natural companions and this soup is earthy, warming and satisfying.
SERVES 4
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed
125g (4oz) green lentils
225g (8oz) spinach leaves, washed
1 litre (1¾ pints) unsalted vegetable stock or water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2–3 tsp lemon juice
croûtons or thick yoghurt, to serve (optional)
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry for 10 minutes, with a lid on the pan, until the onion is almost tender and flecked with brown.
Stir in the garlic, lentils and spinach, then pour in the stock or water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently, with a lid on the pan, for about 45 minutes, until the lentils are soft.
Blend the soup, then reheat, season it with salt, freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice.
Serve just as it is, in deep, warm bowls, or top with a spoonful of crisp golden croûtons or thick Greek yoghurt.
Green split pea soup v
These green split peas, which you can get at health-food shops, make a pleasant change from the more usual yellow ones, or indeed from the colour of most dried beans, and they taste good too. As it’s a winter soup, I use dried herbs here; both marjoram and savory are useful to have in the store cupboard for adding depth of flavour, particularly to pulses.
SERVES 4
175g (6oz) green split peas
1.2 litres (2 pints) water
1 onion, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 sticks of celery, chopped
2 small leeks, sliced
½ tsp dried savory or marjoram
salt and freshly ground black pepper
garlic butter, to serve (optional)
Put the split peas into a large saucepan with the water, all the vegetables and the savory or marjoram and bring to the boil.
Simmer gently until the split peas are tender – about 50 minutes. This soup can be served as it is, with chunky pieces of vegetables in it, or blended until completely smooth, or part-blended, the choice is yours. If necessary, add a little more water to bring it to the consistency you like.
Season with salt and pepper, reheat and serve in warmed bowls, topped with a piece of garlic butter (a little softened butter mashed with a crushed garlic clove) for extra flavour. Or you could go the whole hog and serve it with crisp, buttery garlic bread.
Chilled green split pea soup with mint
Here’s another way to use dried green split peas, and it couldn’t be more different from the previous one. I love this soup because it shows pulses in a different light altogether – all spruced up and elegant.