For me, a good bowl of soup, perhaps with a salad, makes an ideal meal – light but filling, so a good healthy option. Most of the soups in this chapter are not as rich as the traditional versions, with less cream and butter. I like to keep my soups seasonal, cooking the heartier recipes, such as the garbure, in winter and the lighter options, such as watercress and crayfish, in the summer months.
Spinach Soup
A vibrant, green soup that’s full of goodness – what’s not to like? You could add some bacon or smoked chicken if you like, but for me, just some toasted bread with tapenade (see here) or aïoli (see here) hits the spot with this.
Serves 4
200G POTATOES, PEELED AND DICED
1 WHITE ONION, PEELED AND CHOPPED
1 GARLIC CLOVE, PEELED AND CHOPPED
GRATING OF NUTMEG
300G SPINACH, WASHED
4 TBSP OLIVE OIL
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Put the potatoes, onion and garlic in a pan, add 600ml of water and place over a medium heat. Season with salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg, then simmer until the potatoes are cooked.
Add the spinach and stir it in, then simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the oil, then blitz the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Vegetable Soup
Traditionally, there should be a little pork fat or bacon in this hearty soup, but I find it lighter without and still very delicious. I dice the vegetables neatly for this recipe, as I think it is nice to keep it chunky rather than blitzed. You can vary the ingredients and use different root vegetables and greens, depending on what’s in season.
Serves 6
4 TBSP VEGETABLE OIL
1 LEEK, CLEANED AND CHOPPED
250G CABBAGE, FINELY CHOPPED
2 CARROTS, PEELED AND CUT INTO 1CM DICE
2 TURNIPS, PEELED AND CUT INTO 1CM DICE
200G POTATOES, PEELED AND CUT INTO 1CM DICE
2 CELERY STICKS, DICED
1 BOUQUET GARNI (SEE HERE)
3 LITRES VEGETABLE STOCK (OR WATER)
4 TBSP CHOPPED PARSLEY
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the vegetables and cook them gently for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Do not allow them to colour.
Add the bouquet garni, season with salt and pepper, then pour in the vegetable stock – or you can use water. Bring to the boil and then gently simmer the soup for 20 minutes to reduce the liquid. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley and serve.
CRÈME DUBARRY
Cauliflower Soup
Classic recipes for this indulgent French soup often include cream, but I find that just using milk as well as stock keeps it lighter but still gives a lovely velvety texture. Adding the raw cauliflower at the end provides intense flavour and I love the mixture of colours and textures. If you can’t find golden or purple cauliflower you could use more of the ordinary white cauliflower or some broccoli or romanesco.
Serves 6
½ LARGE CAULIFLOWER (ABOUT 500G)
2 TBSP BUTTER
1 MEDIUM POTATO, PEELED AND THINLY SLICED
1 LEEK (WHITE PART ONLY), CLEANED AND THINLY SLICED
500ML MILK
500ML VEGETABLE STOCK
GRATING OF NUTMEG
200G PURPLE AND/OR GOLDEN CAULIFLOWER
2 TBSP OLIVE OIL
½ TBSP RED WINE VINEGAR
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Chop the cauliflower into small pieces, stalks included.
Melt the butter in a large pan and add the cauliflower, potato and leek. Cook them gently over a medium heat for 15 minutes but don’t allow them to colour.
Season the vegetables with salt and pepper, then add the milk, stock and a grating of nutmeg. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, then blitz in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pass the soup through a fine sieve.
Cut the coloured cauliflower into little florets. Season them with oil, vinegar and a touch of salt and then sprinkle some over each serving.
SOUPE DE TOMATES
Roasted Tomato Soup
Roasting the tomatoes concentrates their flavour beautifully and this is still an easy soup to make. I like to use plum or Roma tomatoes but any kind will do. The anchovies add depth of flavour and umami, but if you don’t want to include them, adjust the seasoning. Serve the soup with pistou (see here) or a drizzle of olive oil to enrich.
Serves 6
18 TOMATOES
2 RED ONIONS, PEELED AND THICKLY SLICED
4 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND THICKLY SLICED
1 MEDIUM RED CHILLI, CUT IN HALF
1 TBSP THYME LEAVES
4 TBSP OLIVE OIL
6 ANCHOVY FILLETS
1.8 LITRES VEGETABLE STOCK
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Cut the tomatoes in half and place them in a big bowl with the onions, garlic, chilli and thyme leaves. Add the oil and toss well to coat the tomatoes. Scatter the contents of the bowl into a large roasting tin, making sure the tomatoes aren’t too crowded together.
Roast the tomatoes in the oven for 1 hour, stirring them a couple of times. The tomatoes should take on some charred edges and give off a lot of moisture. Pour everything, juices and all, into a pan, then add the anchovies and stock and place over a medium heat.
Season with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, then blitz the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. For a really silky finish, pass the soup through a fine sieve.
Ham & Vegetable Soup
A great one-pot dish and a meal in itself, garbure is a thick hearty soup from South-west France. This version is made with ham, but you can also use duck or some of each. It’s best cooked a few days before you want to serve it to give the flavours a chance to mature – and don’t forget to soak the beans the night before making the soup.
Serves 6
160G DRIED WHITE BEANS
1 SMOKED HAM HOCK (ABOUT 750G)
1 THYME SPRIG
1 BAY LEAF
4 TBSP OLIVE OIL OR PORK FAT
2 CARROTS, PEELED AND DICED
2 POTATOES, PEELED AND DICED
2 LEEKS (WHITE AND PALE GREEN), CLEANED AND FINELY CHOPPED
2 ONIONS, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED
6 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND CRUSHED
1 SMALL SAVOY CABBAGE, SHREDDED
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Soak the beans in plenty of cold water overnight.
Place the ham hock in a large pan with the thyme and bay leaf. Add cold water to cover, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan with a loose-fitting lid and leave the hock to simmer until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. This usually takes about 2½ hours – top up with boiling water if necessary.
Leave the ham hock to cool in the pan, then drain it and reserve the liquid. Pick all the meat off the bone and shred it, then dice the skin and set it all aside.
Warm the oil or pork fat in a pan, add the vegetables and cook them gently until tender. Pour in the reserved cooking liquid and the drained beans, then season and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 1 hour. Stir in the shredded ham and diced skin, then serve the soup piping hot.
Vermicelli Soup
This soup reminds me of my childhood. My mother used to make it if one of us wasn’t feeling well or whenever something warm and comforting was needed. It always hit the spot for me and I still find myself making a bowl of this soup when there’s not much in the fridge. It’s quick and easy to prepare and you can use any kind of pasta, but ‘angel hair’ vermicelli works best.
Serves 2
1 TBSP BUTTER
1 ONION, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED OR GRATED
60G VERMICELLI
500ML MILK
80G GRUYÈRE, EMMENTAL, COMTÉ OR CANTAL CHEESE, GRATED
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Melt the butter in a pan, add the onion and cook it gently for 5–6 minutes without allowing it to colour. Add 500ml of water, season with salt and pepper, then bring to the boil. Add the vermicelli or other pasta.
Simmer until the pasta is tender, then add the milk and grated cheese, then bring back to a simmer. Take the pan off the heat and serve the soup at once.
VELOUTÉ DE POIS CHICHES ET HARISSA
Chickpea & Harissa Soup
It’s fine to use canned chickpeas and ready-made harissa to make this a really quick soup – it tastes just as good. It’s a nourishing, hearty dish and great served hot on a chilly winter day but also good cold.
Serves 6
400G CAN OF CHICKPEAS, DRAINED AND RINSED
1 MEDIUM ONION, PEELED AND CHOPPED
1 BAY LEAF
PINCH OF SALT
100ML GOOD OLIVE OIL
JUICE OF 2 LEMONS AND ZEST OF 1
SMALL BUNCH EACH OF CORIANDER, MINT AND FLATLEAF PARSLEY
1 TBSP HARISSA PASTE
SALT
Put the chickpeas in a pan and cover them with cold water, then add the chopped onion and bay leaf. Season with salt, bring to a simmer and leave to cook for about 10 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf, add 3 tablespoons of the oil and half the lemon juice, then blitz the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Pick the leaves from the bunches of coriander, mint and parsley and rinse them in iced water. Dress them with a little of the olive oil, the rest of the lemon juice and the lemon zest. Mix the harissa with the remaining oil.
Pour the soup into bowls, drizzle over as much harissa as you like and top each bowlful with some herb salad.
SOUPE DE POMMES DE TERRE VIOLETTES
Purple Potato Soup
This is such a simple soup and is very quick and easy to make. You can, of course, use any kind of potato but the purple variety not only makes this soup a vibrant and unusual colour but also gives it a delicious, slightly nutty flavour.
Serves 6
1 TBSP BUTTER
1 LEEK (WHITE PART ONLY), CLEANED AND THINLY SLICED
750G POTATOES (VIOLETTA, PURPLE MAJESTY, PERUVIAN PURPLE OR EDZELL BLUE), PEELED AND DICED
1 BOUQUET GARNI (SEE HERE)
1.5 LITRES CHICKEN OR VEGETABLE STOCK
GRATING OF NUTMEG
4 TBSP SINGLE CREAM
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Melt the butter in a large pan, add the leek and sweat it until softened but not browned.
Add the potatoes, bouquet garni and stock, then season well with salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Remove the bouquet garni and blitz the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Serve with a little cream drizzled on top of each serving.
POTAGE DE MAÏS ET CREVETTES GRISES
Sweetcorn & Brown Shrimp Soup
This is a light but satisfying soup. You only need a little crème fraîche but it adds a nice touch of acidity to offset the naturally sweet sweetcorn.
Serves 6
6 CORN ON THE COB
2 TBSP VEGETABLE OIL
2 ONIONS, PEELED AND THINLY SLICED
GRATING OF NUTMEG
3 TBSP CRÈME FRAÎCHE
120G PEELED BROWN SHRIMPS
SMOKED PAPRIKA
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Remove the husks from the cobs. Take 4 of the cobs and carefully cut off the kernels with a knife and set them aside. Rub a little oil over the remaining 2 cobs and grill them on a hot griddle pan until cooked and nicely charred. Leave them to cool and then cut off the kernels and set them aside separately.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan and gently cook the onions and raw corn kernels. Once they are soft, add enough water to cover the vegetables by 3–4cm and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add the crème fraîche and blitz the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. If you want an extra-smooth soup, pass it through a fine sieve.
Divide the shrimp between warm bowls, then pour the hot soup over them. Sprinkle the charred corn kernels on top and add a little smoked paprika.
Chicory Soup with Mimolette Cheese
The Flanders region of northeast France is famous for its chicory (chicons) and deliciously nutty-tasting aged Mimolette cheese. The cheese is perfect in this soup and you only need a small amount per person so the dish isn’t too rich. Mimolette does have a particularly good flavour but if you can’t get any, use an aged Edam.
Serves 4
6 HEADS OF CHICORY (RED AND WHITE IF POSSIBLE)
1 TBSP VEGETABLE OIL
1 MEDIUM ONION, PEELED AND CHOPPED
1 GARLIC CLOVE, PEELED AND CHOPPED
1 LARGE POTATO, PEELED AND DICED
300ML BEER (FRUIT BEER IS BEST, SUCH AS KRIEK OR GUEUZE FRAMBOISE)
2 TBSP CRÈME FRAÎCHE
100G AGED MIMOLETTE CHEESE, CUT INTO THIN SHAVINGS
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Separate the chicory leaves and chop them, reserving 8 to garnish the soup. Slice these leaves lengthways and put them in a bowl of iced water so they curl up nicely.
Heat the oil in a pan and gently cook the chopped endive, onion and garlic until softened. Add the potato and cook for 20 minutes until it starts to colour. Pour in the beer and bring it to the boil, then add 400ml of water and season with salt and pepper. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes, then blitz it in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Stir in the crème fraiche and serve the hot soup in bowls, garnished with the reserved endive leaves and thin shavings of Mimolette cheese.
Fennel Soup with Red Mullet
Fennel and red mullet were made for each other – their flavours go together perfectly. If mullet is not available, this soup is also good made with gilthead bream.
Serves 4
2 FENNEL BULBS
4 TBSP OLIVE OIL
1 MEDIUM WHITE ONION, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED
60ML WHITE VERMOUTH
2 TBSP PASTIS
1 LITRE VEGETABLE STOCK
1 TBSP PLAIN FLOUR
1 TBSP POWDERED ANISEED
4 FILLETS OF RED MULLET
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Trim the fennel, then chop it into small pieces. Keep the fronds for garnishing the soup.
Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large pan, add the fennel and the onion, and season with salt and pepper. When the fennel and onion are soft, add the vermouth and pastis, cook for 2 minutes, then add the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Tip everything into a food processor and blitz until smooth.
Mix the flour and aniseed together and season with salt and pepper. Dust the mullet fillets with the flour. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan and fry the fillets until golden and just cooked.
Serve the soup in bowls and top with a piece of fish. Garnish with the fennel fronds and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
SOUPE DE CRESSON ET ÉCREVISSES
Watercress & Crayfish Soup
As a child, I used to go gathering wild watercress and fishing for crayfish with my parents so this soup reminds me of those days. Crayfish, by the way, are small freshwater crustaceans, related to lobsters. This is a tasty and nutritious soup, with only a tiny amount of cream added to each serving.
Serves 6
1 TBSP BUTTER, PLUS EXTRA FOR CRAYFISH
1 ONION, PEELED AND THINLY SLICED
1 LARGE POTATO, PEELED AND THINLY SLICED
400G WATERCRESS, WASHED
1.4 LITRES JUST-BOILED WATER
300G CRAYFISH (COOKED OR RAW)
3 TBSP SINGLE CREAM
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Melt the tablespoon of butter in a pan and gently cook the onion and potato until soft, stirring frequently. Turn up the heat, add the watercress and season with salt and pepper, then pour in the water.
Bring the water back to the boil and simmer for 3–5 minutes. Blitz the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth, then pass it through a fine sieve.
If you are using cooked crayfish, crack them open and gently heat them through in a pan with a little butter. Divide them between the soup bowls, then add the hot soup and a small drizzle of cream.
If you are cooking your own crayfish, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the crayfish, cover the pan and bring back to the boil. Cook for 3 minutes, then drain. When the crayfish are cool enough to handle, remove the shells and serve as before. Keep the crayfish shells for making a stock or sauce.
VELOUTÉ DE VOLAILLE, CROQUETTE AU FROMAGE ET TRUFFE
Chicken Soup with Cheese Croquettes & Truffle
This is a thoroughly indulgent dish, one of those that can’t be pared down, but it’s well worth doing for a special treat. The only real extravagance is the truffle, which you don’t have to include. Chicken wings are cheap and there’s no need for the best Camembert here – in fact, you could use trimmings of any kind of cheese.
Serves 4
6 JOINTED CHICKEN WINGS, CLEANED AND TRIMMED
125ML WHITE WINE
1 THYME SPRIG
6 BUTTON MUSHROOMS, WIPED AND SLICED
1 LITRE WHITE CHICKEN STOCK
250G COOKED FLOURY POTATOES
2 FREE-RANGE EGGS
100G CAMEMBERT OR SIMILAR, DICED
2 TBSP FLOUR
2 TBSP BREADCRUMBS
VEGETABLE OIL, FOR DEEP-FRYING
2 TBSP CRÈME FRAÎCHE
100ML DOUBLE CREAM
1 TRUFFLE (OPTIONAL)
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Place the wings in a pan with the wine, thyme, mushrooms and stock. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the stock into a large bowl and put the wings on a plate. Weigh them down with something heavy to flatten them, then put them in the fridge to chill.
Pour the strained stock back into the pan and boil it until reduced by a third, then set aside. This is the chicken soup. Remove the bones from the chicken wings and cook the meat on a hot griddle until nice and crisp. Set them aside.
Mash the potatoes well, preferably with a potato ricer, then add one of the eggs and the cheese. Mix well, then roll the mixture into balls or cylinders. You can make 8 small croquettes or 4 larger ones. Beat the remaining egg in a bowl and put the flour and breadcrumbs on separate plates. Coat each croquette in flour, then dip it into beaten egg, and finally into the breadcrumbs.
Half-fill a large pan or a deep-fat fryer with vegetable oil and heat to 180°C. Deep-fry the croquettes for a couple of minutes until golden brown.
Reheat the soup, add the crème fraîche and cream, then season. Serve the soup in bowls with a griddled wing and a croquette or two. If you do have a truffle, add a few shavings to each bowl just before serving.
