Home-made Vegetable Soup with Quorn Pieces

Course: Lunch or light main Skill level: easy Serves: 4 Vegetarian or Vegan

900 ml (1½ pt) vegetable stock

3 bay leaves

2 carrots, peeled and chopped roughly

1 leek, washed and chopped roughly

2 sticks celery, washed and chopped roughly

1 tbs vegetable oil

300 g (10½ oz) Quorn Pieces or Quorn Vegan Pieces

2 shallots, sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

100 g (3½ oz) drained sweetcorn

¼ tsp chilli flakes 1 tbs arrowroot, mixed with water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To Serve: toasted crusty bread.

1 In a large pan, add the vegetable stock and heat until it has reached a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the bay leaves, carrots, leek and celery. Simmer for 15 minutes, until softened.

2 Meanwhile, in a frying-pan, heat the oil and fry the Quorn for 7 minutes, until beginning to turn golden. Add the shallots and garlic and continue to fry for 3 minutes until softened. Transfer into the large saucepan with the sweetcorn, chilli flakes and arrowroot. Stir well, allowing to simmer and thicken slightly.

3 Remove the bay leaves and season to taste. Serve with a chunk of crusty bread and butter.