Bowled over

Soup is a comforting classic and there’s a version for almost any ingredient you have. Try this delicious trio

Who doesn’t like a bowl of homemade soup? Regardless of the time of year or what is in season, there always seems to be a soup that’s fitting.

These frugal times may make us more aware of how much we spend on food in an average week, and some of us may look to the past to see how our parents and grandparents fed us.

When I make a pot of broth, memories spark a flashback to being at my gran’s table. The clear image in my mind is of the starched white tablecloth that was rolled out before every meal and the impression the bottom of the bowl left on the cloth will always stay in my mind.

The broth was usually chicken with plump barley, carrot, turnip, green split peas and onion, always served piping hot. It was reheated every day until it was gone – no need for refrigeration then it seems.

We can pass these memories, and tastes, down to our children which may teach them that there’s an alternative to the mad, fast-paced, plastic and perhaps false world with its over-produced food we all knew a few weeks ago. Sharing a knowledge of proper food offers beautiful and delicious results. ■

Garden pea soup with Isle of Mull scallops and bacon

This is a cracking soup to make and very easy. The scallops are optional, as is the bacon. Using frozen peas can sometimes be frowned upon, but after shelling cases and cases of peas in my life, frozen peas are absolutely wonderful. They’re frozen within a few hours of harvesting therefore remaining sweet, unlike some fresh peas that can become starchy.

Serves four

1 medium-sized onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 750ml vegetable or chicken stock, or water is fine

250g shelled, podded peas

1-2 tbsp cream, optional 4 hand-dived Isle of Mull scallops, cleaned and out of shell

1 small handful of chunky lardons of unsmoked bacon

2 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil 1 knob of butter a few mint leaves good salt and pepper a few salad leaves and edible flowers

1

Heat the butter and half the oil in a pot, then add the onion and garlic and sweat down very gently for a few minutes, without colouring. Season with salt and pepper, and when softened, add the stock and bring to the boil.

Simmer for a few minutes, then add the peas and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Season again, and add the mint leaves then blitz carefully in a liquidiser until smooth. Add some cream if you like, or more stock to make it easier to blitz.

Pass the soup through a fine sieve to ensure it’s rich and silky. Keep in a warm place.

Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the scallops. Season in the pan and cook for a minute or two on each side. As you are frying the scallops, add in the bacon lardons and fry these too. Season as you go. Remove from the pan when just cooked.

To serve, pour the soup into warmed bowls and place a scallop in the centre of each bowl. Scatter over the lardons of bacon and garnish with a few salad leaves and edible flowers.

2

3

4

5

Squash soup with toasted seeds

From an economical point of view, I find a good butternut squash lasts a long time, and is so versatile. Use it in risottos, curries with chickpeas, quiches and of course the magical soup. In summer I like to use red onion for the base, and a splash of

Clockwise from main: garden pea soup with Isle of Mull scallops and bacon; peasemeal and ham soup; squash soup with toasted seeds something cooling, like yogurt or crème fraîche. Try a few varieties of squash or pumpkin as they all taste a bit different, but most are very tasty. Scrape the seeds from the squash, wash them and roast them in the oven for a few minutes with a pinch of salt.

Serves four

1 large butternut or acorn squash, peeled and halved and seeds scraped out

1 large or 2 small onions, peeled and roughly chopped

1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed 1 tsp mixed spice a splash of cream

50ml of cold-pressed rapeseed oil a knob of butter good salt and pepper

4 tbsp crème fraîche

1

Place a large pot on the hob and get it moderately hot. Add the oil, butter, onion and garlic and fry until golden brown, stirring often. Add some salt and pepper, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, dice the squash into 1-inch pieces and add to the onion, stir and add the mixed spice. Cover with boiling water from the kettle and cook until the squash is soft, about 30 minutes.

Blitz the soup in a liquidizer for a minute and check the seasoning. Add a splash of cream, and keep warm.

Wash the squash seeds under a tap and bring to the boil in a wee pot. Cook for 5 minutes and refresh under the cold tap. Lay them on a tray, sprinkle with salt and grill until crispy and golden.

To serve, warm four bowls and ladle in the soup. Swirl some crème fraîche on top and sprinkle over the toasted seeds and a tiny pinch of mixed spice.

2

3

4

5

Peasemeal and ham soup

Many of you will have heard of peasemeal from your childhood. I adore the texture and flavour. It’s so easy to make as you just need to add boiling stock or water and you have a cup of good soup. Slow Food introduced me to this and it’s still simply ground from dried yellow peas. Be careful if using a smoked ham hock with this recipe as it can be overly salty. Peasemeal is available from good health food shops or online from Golspie Mill in Sutherland.

Serves four