FOOD
ONION AND LEMON GRASS SOUP WITH TAPENADE CROUTES
A CRACKING soup, just perfect for this time of year.
The addition of the lemon grass and ginger lifts the traditional potato soup to the next level and the additional tapenade croutes are, in my view, the icing on the cake.
If you can’t get hold of tapenade, simply blend some pitted black olives with olive oil and a clove of peeled garlic to a smooth paste.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the Soup ●● One pint chicken stock ●● Two large Maris Piper potatoes ●● One tablespoon olive oil ●● Two onions - roughlychopped ●● Half lemon grass - shredded ●● One small knob fresh root ginger ●● One fennel – chopped ●● 100ml cream
To Serve: ●● One tablespoon crème frâiche ●● Tapenade croutes
Method: 1. Chop the potatoes roughly and place in a pan with the chicken stock – simmer until the potatoes are cooked through. 2. In a separate pan – heat the olive oil and sweat off the onions, lemon grass, ginger and fennel for about five minutes until softened. 3. Add in the stock – re-simmer then blend and sieve. 4. Add the cream, season to taste and serve with the crème frâiche and tapenade croutes.