A Simple Vegetable Soup.

A simple soup, easy to prepare, and deliciously, heart-warmingly good. Cooking at its best: no-nonsense…no fuss.

This soup is back to basics: carrots, potatoes and onions…

… + a handful of lovely, delicate baby broad beans.

btw. I’m starting a new category: cooking for 1.

It might seem odd introducing a pot of soup that serves 4 as cooking for one , but I remember when I lived on my own I was always looking for ways of making batches of food so I didn’t have to cook everyday. This soup stores chilled very well because it contains no dairy.

Also, you can add something new when reheating a portion, such as a handful of frozen peas, some pre-cooked haricot beans, chopped spring onions or a small tin of sweetcorn.

All the fresh ingredients are, on this occasion, homegrown by me ( 🙂 ) , but they are readily available in the shops all year round. As you can see, there are very few ingredients! 🙂

A word for fresh herbs: they are just such a boon in the kitchen, and it’s really easy to grow them on a reasonable sunny window sill these days ( in fact a lot of them don’t like sun all day) … and they add flavour and fragrance to soups, stews, salads … etc.

Hope you like it 🙂

VEGETABLE SOUP

FOR 4

Ingredients:

2 tbs. olive oil
2 bay leaves
750gms. potatoes (preferably organic)
300gms. onions
250gms. carrots
200gms.baby broad beans (fresh or frozen)
3-4 garlic cloves
1L vegetable stock (GF)
A big bunch of mixed fresh herbs : fennel, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, sage, basil / OR / 2-3 tbs. dried mixed herbs
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
optional: dash of cider vinegar or lemon juice

METHOD:

Wash and cube the potatoes approx. 1.5 cm. square. (I didn’t bother to peel them … up to you!)
Peel and finely chop onions.
Wash, peel and finely slice carrots.
Peel and crush garlic cloves.
Wash and finely chop the herbs.
In a deep-sided pan, on a medium heat, add 2 tbs. olive oil.
Add 2 bay leaves and let them sizzle for 30 secs.
Add the chopped onion and sauté for 2-3 mins.
Prepare 1 litre vegetable stock using boiling water. (Just follow instructions for powdered veggie stock).
Add crushed garlic to the onions and sauté for a further 1 min.
Add washed diced potato cubes to the pan. Sauté for 2 mins.
Add hot vegetable stock.
Bring to the boil, and then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 mins.
Then add washed, sliced carrots, put the lid back on, and simmer for a further 15-20 mins. until potatoes + carrots are just tender.
Transfer half the vegetables and cooking juice to a blender, and blend until smooth.
Return the blended vegetables to the pan.
Taste and season accordingly: I added 1 scant tsp. salt, 1 tsp. ground black pepper, and a dash of cider vinegar. Stir to combine.
Add the broad beans and half the finely-chopped herbs.
Simmer for a further 10 mins. and then stir in the remaining herbs.