SIMPLE SOUPS
Warm your cockles with a bowl of soup that feels a bit special. These all freeze well too
Five delicious soup recipes
Root vegetable & rosemary
Fry 1 chopped onion and a thumb-sized piece grated ginger in 1 tbsp olive oil for 5 mins until softened. Add a 1kg pack frozen vegetable casserole mix (carrots, swede, parsnips, leeks, turnips etc) ÜĶÌij > viÜ wOEiŃÞ VijŖ««i` rosemary sprigs. Cover with 2 litres hot vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins until the veg is tender. Add 50ml milk and season well. Blend the soup and serve with black pepper and lots of crusty bread. Serves 6.
Creamy kale & stilton
Put 1 large peeled and diced potato and 1 litre hot stock in a large pan. Cover, bring to the boil and cook for 10 mins until the potato is tender. Add 200g chopped kale and
100g crumbled stilton, cover, and cook for a further 5 mins.
Stir in 3 tbsp double cream and a grating of fresh nutmeg. Season, blend half, then mix with the unblended half. Serve with extra stilton crumbled on top. Serves 4.
Pesto, pea & prawn
Fry 4 chopped spring onions in 1 tbsp olive oil for 2 mins until soft. Add 1 small peeled and diced potato, 100g pesto and 1 litre hot vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Cook, covered, for 10 mins. Tip in 500g frozen peas and cook for 5 mins more until the peas and potatoes are tender. Blend but leave some of the veg whole. Add 150g cooked prawns, bring to the boil, then add a squeeze of lemon juice, and season. Serve with crème fraîche and a drizzle of pesto. Serves 4.
Chunky bean & meatball
Fry 1 chopped red onion in 1 tbsp olive oil for 5 mins until softened. Push the onion to one side of the pan. Roll meat from 4 sausages into small balls and add to the pan, cooking for 5 mins until golden. Stir in 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes, 500ml hot chicken stock, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and 1 tsp sugar. Cover and cook for 20 mins. Drain a 400g can mixed beans, add to the pan, season well and cook, uncovered, for a further 10 mins. Scatter with parmesan and basil leaves to serve. Serves 4.
Moroccan roasted vegetable
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip
1 red onion, cut into wedges, 1 small cubed potato and 300g each peeled and chopped carrots, parnips and butternut squash into a roasting tin with 2 garlic cloves. Sprinkle over 1 tbsp ras el hanout, drizzle over 2 tbsp olive oil and stir it all together. Roast for 30-35 mins, turning the veg once, until tender and caramelising. Transfer to a large pan, pour over 1.3 litres hot vegetable stock and simmer for 5 mins. Purée, then ladle into bowls. Top with a dollop of yogurt, mint leaves and a good grinding of black pepper. Serves 4.