WINTER WARMERS

Wholesome, healthy and simple to prepare, there’s nothing quite like a bowl of warming soup to lift the spirits

Warming, wholesome soup recipes to see you through those colder days

CHUNKY ROOT VEGETABLE AND LENTIL SOUP

Replace the traditional Worcestershire sauce (which contains anchovies) with Biona Worcester sauce to make this vegetarian-friendly. Serves: 6 Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 40 minutes 3 tbsp olive oil

400g carrots, sliced 500g parsnips, diced 400g leeks, sliced 1 bay leaf 1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp tomato purée

300g red lentils

1.7 litres hot vegetable stock

Few drops Biona Worcester sauce (available from most large supermarkets)

For the croutons:

Ciabatta loaf, cut into thin slices Olive oil, for brushing

1 garlic clove, halved

1 Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the vegetables over a low heat with the bay leaf and a large pinch of salt for 15 minutes until softened.

2 Add the garlic, smoked paprika and tomato purée and fry for one minute.

3 Stir in the lentils, then pour in the stock and a dash of the Biona Worcester sauce. Bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, for

20-25 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

4 Meanwhile, make the ciabatta croutons. Heat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/gas mark 3. Arrange the ciabatta slices on a baking sheet in one layer. Brush with oil and bake for 10 minutes until golden, turning halfway through. Remove from the oven and rub each slice with the cut side of the garlic. Serve immediately with the soup.

SMOKED HADDOCK CHOWDER

A rich, creamy fish chowder is the ultimate comfort food on a freezing winter’s day. For a change, replace the prawns with crab or mussels. Serves: 4-6 Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 50 minutes 50g butter

1 large onion, chopped

300g celery sticks, chopped

1 bay leaf

350g potatoes, diced

Pinch of cayenne

Freshly grated nutmeg

300ml milk

450g undyed smoked haddock, skinned and cut into bite-sized chunks

125g cooked prawns

4 poached eggs to serve, optional Fresh dill or chervil, to garnish

1 Melt the butter in a large pan and gently fry the onion and celery with the bay leaf for 15 minutes until softened but not coloured.

Stir in the potatoes and spices, and cook for one minute.

2 Pour in the milk and 100ml of water, bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook gently, covered, for 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Discard the bay leaf and purée the soup in the pan with a hand blender (or in batches in a food processor) until smooth.

3 Gently stir in the haddock. Cover and simmer over a low heat for five to 10 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Carefully stir in the prawns, cover and remove from the heat. Leave to stand for two minutes.

4 Divide the soup among four to six shallow bowls and top with a poached egg, if using, and a sprinkling of dill or chervil.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

The humble onion takes centre stage in this classic hearty soup. Take your time when cooking the onions, as this will bring out their natural sweetness. Serves: 4 Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 1 hour 15 minutes 50g butter

3 large Spanish onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp soft brown sugar 1 tbsp plain flour

75ml brandy

900ml veal or beef stock 1 bay leaf

To serve:

8 small slices French country bread 75g grated Gruyère cheese

1 In a large lidded pan, melt the butter, then add the onions and a sprinkling of salt and cover with a circle of crumpled baking parchment followed by the lid. Cook over a low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender.

2 Remove the lid and baking parchment, add the sugar and turn up the heat to medium. Cook until golden, stirring often.

3 Sprinkle over the flour and cook for one minute. Gradually add the brandy, followed by the stock and the bay leaf. Simmer for 30 minutes.

4 Heat the grill. Divide the soup among four heatproof bowls. Top each bowl with two slices of bread and sprinkle over the cheese. Pop the bowls under the grill until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve immediately.

HARISSA LAMB AND CHICKPEA SOUP

Increase the spiciness by adding a drizzle of chilli oil as you serve. Serves: 4 Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking: 20 minutes 1 tbsp olive oil

225g lamb fillet, cut into thin strips 1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tsp rose harissa

400g tin chopped tomatoes 500ml hot lamb stock

400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed 100g baby spinach leaves

50g feta, crumbled

Drizzle of chilli oil (optional)

1 Heat the oil in a large pan and stir-fry the lamb over a high heat for two minutes until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2 Lower the heat and add the onion along with a large pinch of salt.

Fry gently for five minutes until softened slightly, then turn up the heat and cook, stirring often, until lightly golden. Add the garlic and harissa and fry for one minute.

3 Pour in the tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for five minutes. Add the chickpeas and cook for a further five minutes.

4 Return the lamb to the pan and heat through for two minutes, then stir in the spinach leaves until wilted. Check the seasoning. Serve in warm bowls with the feta and chilli oil on top.

SPLIT PEA AND HAM SOUP

This takes a few hours, but it is worth the effort. For a quicker version, use good-quality ham stock and shredded ham hock instead. Serves: 6 Preparation: 20 minutes, plus soaking Cooking: 4 hours 15 minutes

For the stock:

1kg ham hock

Few leek trimmings 1 carrot, chopped 1 celery stick, chopped 1 small onion, quartered 1 bay leaf

6 black peppercorns

For the soup:

50g butter

1 medium onion, chopped 1 celery stick, chopped 200g yellow split peas 1 litre hot ham stock

To garnish:

3 tbsp crème fraîche

Handful of shredded ham

50g frozen peas, cooked and drained Few sprigs fresh mint

1 Soak the ham hock overnight in cold water, drain, then put in a large pan and cover with fresh cold water. Add the vegetables, bay leaf and peppercorns and bring to just under the boil. Simmer for two to three hours, skimming away any fat from the surface, until the meat comes away easily from the bone.

3 Strain the ham stock into a bowl. Discard the vegetables. When cool, strip the meat, shred and set aside.

4 For the soup, melt the butter in a large pan and fry the onion and celery for 15 minutes until softened.

5 Add the split peas and the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for an hour until the peas are tender. Purée with a hand-held blender, or blend in batches using a food processor.

6 Serve in warm bowls and garnish with some crème fraîche, a handful of shredded ham and a sprinkling of the cooked peas, and mint. e