Soup is restorative and sustaining, a pot simmering on the stove fills the kitchen with inviting aromas which lift the spirit, and a bowl of soup on the table induces a sense of well-being. Soups range from sparkling clear liquids to creamy purées and hearty chowders, gumbos and pots au feu. The principal ingredients are meat, fish and vegetables, but fruits also make good soups, especially cold soups which are so refreshing in hot weather.
Stock
Although some soups are best made with water to keep the pure flavours of the main ingredients, stock is the basis of most soup making. It also forms the basis of many sauces and stews. To make stock is not difficult, but it requires time. Vegetables, meat, poultry or fish, together with aromatic ingredients, are simmered gently in water to extract their flavour, the liquid is strained and any fat removed. Cheap cuts of meat, bones, chicken wings, a cooked chicken carcass, fish bones, some vegetable trimmings can all be used. However, a stock is only as good as the ingredients you put into it, so don’t use the stock pot as a dustbin.
It is important for food safety to cool stock quickly once it is made, and to strain it before storing. Make sure the liquid is properly cold before putting it into the refrigerator and don’t keep stock there for more than 3 days. Stock freezes well for up to 3 months. It can be boiled down, in an open pan, by a third or a half to make a concentrated stock. Concentrated stock can be diluted later by adding water.
Supermarkets and delicatessens now keep ready-made stocks in their chilled food cabinets; although expensive compared with homemade stock, they are better than stock cubes with their strong synthetic flavours. If you do use stock cubes the Just Bouillon range is better than most. Telma chicken and beef soup mix won’t distort the flavour of your dish too much, and for vegetable stock the best product is Marigold granules.
Garnishes and embellishments
The simplest and quickest garnish is a scattering of chopped herbs. Parsley, coriander, chives, fennel, dill, mint or lovage will enhance most soups. A chiffonade* of spinach or sorrel can be softened for a minute or two in the simmering soup before serving. Julienne* strips of firm vegetables such as carrot, turnip, celery or celeriac should be blanched for a minute in boiling water to soften them a little before being added to the soup. Cubes of peeled and seeded tomato or cucumber can be added raw, as can avocado, finely sliced mushrooms or spring onions. Grated citrus peel, slivers of fresh ginger or lemon grass provide a clean, sharp note.
Fine noodles, tortellini, ravioli, won-tons and rice will add substance. The pasta needs pre-cooking: noodles for a couple of minutes, filled pasta for 4–5 minutes. Rice can be cooked in the soup.
A knob of butter, plain or flavoured (p. 385), a swirl of olive oil (use a good one), cream or yogurt will provide enrichment. Egg yolks lightly whisked with a little stock or cream and stirred into simmering soup just before serving will thicken it, improve the texture and give the soup a sheen, but the soup must not boil or the egg will curdle. A poached egg is often added to clear soup in Spain and Italy, particularly to give richness to simple soups of water, garlic and vegetables.
Croûtons and croûtes are easy traditional accompaniments. Croûtes can be put in the bottom of soup bowls, floated on the soup or served separately. Bread is sometimes used to thicken soup too (see gazpacho p. 21).
To make toasted croûtons
Cut slices of day-old bread 1cm thick into cubes, discarding crusts, and bake at 180°C, 350°F, gas 4, for 10–12 minutes, turning the cubes frequently, until crisp and lightly browned. If you wish, rub the bread with a cut clove of garlic before baking.
To make fried croûtons
Cut the bread as above and fry in 5mm oil over gentle heat. Stir to ensure the croûtons brown evenly. Drain on kitchen paper. Croûtons, fried or toasted, stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, will keep for up to 2 weeks.
To make cheese croûtes
For 4 slices of french bread, mix together 30g grated cheese with 10g butter and season well with mustard, pepper and cayenne. Under the grill, toast the bread lightly on one side, spread the cheese mixture on the other and toast quickly to golden brown. Cheddar, Parmesan and Gruyère are good for croûtes, although Gruyère will become slightly stringy.
To make olive oil and garlic croûtes
Under the grill, toast 4 slices of french bread lightly on one side. Rub the other side with a cut clove of garlic and drizzle olive oil over it. A little mashed anchovy can be good too. Toast until brown.
Stocks
Vegetable stock
Makes about 2 litres
3 onions, peeled and chopped
3 leeks, cleaned and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 head fennel, chopped
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
trimmings from any of the following: broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, mushrooms, watercress
a few stalks of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
4 thyme sprigs or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
10 black peppercorns
salt
2 litres cold water
Put everything into a large pan and bring slowly to the boil. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface, lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain the stock and check the seasoning.
Chicken stock
Boiling fowls are scarcer than caviare these days, but you should be able to order one from your butcher. If your butcher cuts his own chicken joints he may let you have a couple of raw carcasses to add substance to a stock made from chicken wings.
Makes about 2.25 litres
1 boiling fowl or 2kg wings and uncooked bones
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
carrots, peeled and chopped
2.5 litres water
10 parsley stalks, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 sprig thyme or ¼ tsp dried thyme
10 black peppercorns
salt
Remove excess fat from the boiling fowl. Put it or the chicken pieces into a large pan with the onion, celery and carrot. Cover with cold water and bring very slowly to the boil. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface; take the time to do this meticulously and you will have a clear stock. Now add the herbs and seasonings, partly cover the pan and simmer very gently for at least 2 hours. The less the pot bubbles, the cleaner the stock will be.
Lift out the chicken and use it later in a soup (p. 7 or p. 11), or pastel de choclo (p. 163), or for a pilaf or for sandwiches. Strain the stock through a sieve or colander lined with damp muslin (p. 528). Adjust the seasoning if necessary. When the stock has cooled use a wad of kitchen paper to blot up the fat from the surface; an alternative and easier method is to refrigerate the cold stock and then lift off the fat once it has hardened. If you are going to freeze the stock make sure to remove any fat first.
Variations
Light chicken stock You can make a lighter chicken stock using the carcass of a roast chicken together with any bits of skin and vegetables and flavourings as above. Simmer for 1½ hours, strain and degrease.
Meat stock 1kg shin of beef and 1kg chicken wings together with a chicken carcass or a veal knuckle, plus the vegetables and flavourings above will make a richer, more gelatinous stock. Simmer for at least 4 hours; strain and degrease.
Court-bouillon
Fish and shellfish are poached in an aromatic broth made with wine, water, vegetables and herbs, called a court-bouillon. Once you’ve poached your fish, you have a more strongly flavoured stock which can be used for making soups and sauces.
Makes about 1.7 litres
½ bottle dry white wine
1½ litres water
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
white part of 1 leek, cleaned and sliced
2 sprigs of thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
6 parsley stalks
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
4 coriander seeds
salt
Bring all the ingredients to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, then strain and the court-bouillon is ready for use.
Variations
• Dry cider can be used in place of wine, or replace it with 120ml wine vinegar and add more water. Herbs can be varied to suit the fish to be cooked – tarragon, dill, fennel are all good additional flavourings, as are 2–3 slices of lemon or a crushed clove of garlic.
Fish stock
A fishmonger will often provide bones or heads to make stock. If you buy a whole fish and have it filleted, make sure to ask for the bones. A small inexpensive fish such as a whiting can be used instead of bones. Crab, lobster and prawn shells make excellent stock.
Makes about 1.5 litres
1kg white fish bones and trimmings
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 leek, white part only, cleaned and sliced
100ml dry white wine
1½ litres water
2 sprigs of thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
3–4 parsley stalks
1 bay leaf
10 black peppercorns
salt
Break the bones into manageable pieces and put all the ingredients into a large pan. Bring to the boil over medium heat and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Simmer for 20–25 minutes. Strain and it is ready for use, or when cool can be refrigerated or frozen.
Fish fumet
Make the stock as above, and when strained, reduce it by half at a steady boil. Use the fumet as the base for sauces to accompany fish.
Clear soups
The clear soups that follow have an unthickened or barely thickened broth with solid ingredients cut up and added to the liquid.
Chicken, sweetcorn and mushroom soup
Simple and satisfying, this soup can be made in no more than 10 minutes.
For 4
250g mushrooms, chopped
20g butter
1 litre chicken stock (p.4)
150g cooked chicken, diced
150g sweetcorn kernels (frozen or canned)
2 spring onions
salt and freshly ground pepper
lemon juice (optional)
2 tbs chopped dill or chervil
Sauté the mushrooms in the butter. Bring the stock to the boil and add the mushrooms, chicken and sweetcorn. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the spring onions, sliced, and season. If the taste isn’t quite sharp enough add a little lemon juice. Garnish with the dill or chervil.
Chinese hot and sour soup
This soup comes from Sichuan in western China where chillies play an important part in the cooking. It is a clear soup, rich and full of flavour, and very warming in winter. It takes a little time to cut up all the ingredients, but the soup cooks very quickly. Most of the ingredients can be found in a supermarket but you may have to go to an oriental shop for dried Chinese shiitake mushrooms and tofu, or to a health food shop for the latter.
For 4
3 dried Chinese shiitake mushrooms
900ml chicken stock (p.4)
100g lean pork, cut in slivers
60g bamboo shoots, cut in matchsticks
125g firm tofu, shredded
1 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs rice or wine vinegar
2 tsp chilli oil
1 tbs cornflour
1 egg
2 tsp sesame oil
2 spring onions, sliced finely
Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain, remove the stalks and slice the caps finely. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large pan and add the pork, mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tofu, soy sauce, vinegar and chilli oil. Mix the cornflour with 1 tbs water and when the soup starts bubbling again, stir it in. Simmer over very low heat for 1–2 minutes to thicken the soup. Beat the egg lightly and pour it into the soup through the tines of a fork or a strainer so that it sets in light strands. Add the sesame oil and spring onions and serve at once.
Dutch mussel soup
This recipe is from the Dutch island province of Zeeland, traditionally the best local source of seafood – especially the wonderful small Dutch shrimps. Use small mussels for preference: they look nicer in the soup.
The soup tastes good even without the mussels – their cooking liquid has sufficient flavour. You could just put a few mussels into the soup and use the rest for a separate small dish for 2 people: heat them in snail butter (p. 385) to be served with french bread, or heat them in cream with a dash of Pernod and chopped fennel or dill.
For 6
1 kg mussels
1.5 litres water or 1 litre water and 500ml fish stock (p. 6)
2 slices celeriac
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped finely
40g butter
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbs chopped parsley
Scrub the mussels and remove the beards. Discard any that are broken or gaping open. Put the mussels in a large pan with 100 ml of the water, cover and steam, shaking the pan from time to time, until the shells open (discard any that don’t). Drain them into a colander set over a large bowl – the liquid will be used later.
Cut 2 slices from the celeriac, peel them and dice the flesh. (To store the rest, see p. 122.) Stew it gently with the other vegetables in the butter for 15 minutes in a large pan. Strain the mussel liquid over the vegetables, using a fine sieve and leaving behind any bits of grit in the bowl. Add the remaining water and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the shelled mussels to the soup. Taste and season. Let the mussels warm through, then sprinkle over the parsley and serve.
Onion soup
This recipe, from the south-west of France, bears little resemblance to the standard restaurant version served inedibly hot with sticky melted cheese. The amount of garlic varies from a whole head to a couple of cloves. It is sometimes made with milk instead of water.
For 4
2 large onions, peeled and sliced finely
2 tbs olive oil
8 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced finely
1 litre boiling water
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 egg yolks
1 tbs wine vinegar
4 slices of day-old French bread, or bread dried in the oven
Stew the onions gently in the oil, stirring regularly until they are soft and golden. Add the sliced garlic and water and season with salt and a little pepper. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Just before serving, whisk the egg yolks lightly with the vinegar and pour over them a ladleful of the hot soup. Stir well. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the egg mixture. Serve over the slices of bread.
Thai prawn soup (Tom yam kung)
This seems to be one of the most popular dishes in Thai restaurants, and it is certainly one of the easiest to make. Tom yam pla – fish soup – is made by simmering pieces of fish in water or stock and then adding the other ingredients. You could also use mussels, and use the strained liquid from opening them (see opposite) as part of the stock. To make the soup more substantial, or to reduce the amount of seafood or fish, add canned straw mushrooms or cellophane (beansprout) noodles, which only need soaking rather than cooking. Straw mushrooms come in cans and are tiny mushrooms which are used in tropical Asian cooking. These days the ingredients for making a Thai broth can be found in most supermarkets, but you might have to go to an oriental shop for the mushrooms and noodles.
For 6–8
12–18 large raw prawns
3 stalks lemon grass*
6 slices galangal* or peeled ginger
6 lime leaves*
1.5 litres chicken or fish stock (p. 4, p. 6)
1–4 small red chillies
2–3 tbs fish sauce (p. 520)
3–4 tbs lime juice
1–2 tbs sugar
½ can straw mushrooms (optional)
100g cellophane noodles (optional)
3–4 tbs chopped coriander
Peel the prawns, leaving on the tails, and remove the black vein from the back. Remove outer skin and top two-thirds from the lemon grass, cut the lower part in 5cm pieces. Bruise the lemon grass and galangal or ginger by bashing with a pestle or the back of a heavy knife. Put the lemon grass, galangal and lime leaves into a pot with the stock, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes to infuse the flavours. If you don’t want to pick bits out of your soup, you could strain the broth at this point, but you will lose something in flavour and in authenticity.
Add chillies, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar according to your taste. Keep the soup simmering and keep trying it; it should taste fresh and clean from the lemon grass, lime leaves and galangal, but it should also take on a different dimension – hot, salty, sour and sweet – from the new additions. When you are happy with it, add the mushrooms and noodles if you are using them. When the soup comes back to the simmer, add the prawns and cook until they turn pink. Serve hot in individual bowls, garnished with the coriander.
Tomato and rice soup
For 4
500g ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 large onion, peeled and chopped finely
3 tbs olive oil
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried
2 garlic cloves, peeled
salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ tsp paprika
800ml water or light stock
80g long grain rice
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
Sauté the tomatoes and onion in the olive oil for 5–6 minutes, then add the bay leaf and thyme, the garlic first crushed with a little salt in a pestle and mortar, the pepper and paprika and the water or stock. Pour boiling water over the rice and leave to soak. Stir and simmer the soup for 10 minutes, then sieve it into a clean pan to get rid of the tomato skin and seeds and the herbs. Bring to a simmer, then strain the rice, rinse under the cold tap and add to the soup. Cook until the rice is done, about 10–12 minutes. Depending on the amount of liquid the rice absorbs, you may need to add a little more water or stock. Serve garnished with the tomato dice.
Winter vegetable soup
The vegetables for this soup can be varied but do keep the saffron which gives it a warm, rich flavour and a beautiful colour.
For 4–5
50g butter or 3 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 slices celeriac, peeled and diced (to store the rest, see p. 122)
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 small white turnips, peeled and diced
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 litre vegetable, chicken or meat stock (pp. 4–5)
salt and freshly ground pepper
50g soup pasta or vermicelli
¼ tsp powdered saffron or to taste
Heat the butter or oil in a large pan and fry the onion until soft and turning golden. Add the other vegetables and stir for 2–3 minutes so that they take up some of the fat. Pour over the stock, season with salt and pepper, bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. The vegetables should be almost ready. Add the pasta and cook for 4–5 minutes more. Taste for seasoning and to see that the pasta and vegetables are cooked. Dissolve the saffron in 1 tbs warm water and stir it into the soup. Serve.
Puréed soups
Puréed soups are blended, whizzed in a food processor or passed through a sieve to achieve a fairly thick uniform consistency.
Chicken and almond soup
The Spanish make a lightly spiced soup with chicken stock and almonds, thickened with bread, and seem to have taken the idea to Mexico where a richer version is made, thickened with almonds and chicken.
For 6–8
60g blanched almonds
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 tbs oil
200g cooked chicken breast, diced
salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ tsp cumin
1.5 litres chicken stock (p.4)
small bunch coriander, leaves chopped
Lightly fry the almonds, garlic and onion in the oil. Purée them in a food processor with half the chicken, the salt and spices and enough of the stock to make a smooth purée. Stir the purée into the rest of the stock in a pan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes with the remaining chicken. Stir in the coriander and serve.
Jerusalem artichoke soup
Jerusalem artichokes are a much underrated vegetable, perhaps because they are a bore to peel. Persevere though, and you can make a delicately flavoured creamy soup – one of the best. Once peeled, put the artichokes into water acidulated with a little lemon juice or vinegar because they discolour instantly.
For 6
80g butter
4 shallots, peeled and chopped
850g Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and sliced thickly
1.2 litres water, vegetable or chicken stock (p. 4)
salt and freshly ground pepper
grated nutmeg
150ml single cream
croûtons or bits of crisply fried streaky bacon to garnish
Heat 60g butter and sweat* the shallots and artichokes in a covered pan over low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the water or stock and season. Bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about ι10 minutes. Blend the soup, stir in the cream and reheat gently. Whisk in the last knob of butter and serve at once with the croûtons or bacon.
Variations
• Other vegetable soups can be made on the same principle, using butter or olive oil to soften shallots or onions and the chosen vegetable. Add seasonings: ground coriander and orange zest are good with carrot; ground cumin or curry powder with parsnip; sorrel or a fresh tasting herb like chervil or parsley with broad beans; nutmeg with spinach and cauliflower. Don’t overdo the flavourings, add a little, taste and add more if necessary. 1–1½ tsp of most spices is about right for a soup using 1 litre of liquid. Use nutmeg and chilli more sparingly; sturdy herbs like mint, tarragon, marjoram, parsley or sage can be cooked in the soup, whereas the more delicate basil, chervil and dill are best added towards the end.
• Soured cream or crème fraîche can replace the cream.
Leek and potato soup
Leek and potato soup is one of those foods that sets you to rights with the world, restores energy and well-being. Easy and quick to make, it can be served as a simple vegetable soup or enriched with cream or yogurt.
For 6
500g potatoes, peeled
400g leeks, cleaned
60g butter
1.5 litres water or light stock
salt and freshly ground pepper
150ml single cream
chopped chives to garnish
Dice the potatoes and slice the white part of the leeks thinly. Stew them gently in the butter in a covered pan. Stir occasionally. When the vegetables have softened, add the water or stock and season. Bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are cooked, about 15 minutes. Purée through a sieve. Don’t use a food processor or the potato will develop a glue-like texture. Stir in the cream, reheat gently and serve garnished with the chives.
Variations
• Substitute yogurt for the cream. Heat the soup, pour a ladleful into the yogurt and stir well, then pour the yogurt into the pan of soup. Mix it in and serve at once. Don’t let it boil or the yogurt may curdle.
Rocket, leek and potato soup Use only 300g leeks and add 150g roughly chopped rocket to the soup with the cream, simmer briefly and serve. This version is also good chilled.
Vichyssoise. See p. 22
Watercress, leek and potato soup Use only 300g leeks and add the chopped leaves of a bunch of watercress at the same time as the cream. Simmer for a minute or two and serve. Also good chilled.
Lentil and lemon soup
You can use any type of lentil for this soup; the little orange ones will disintegrate in cooking, the large brown ones or the small dark Puy lentils will remain whole.
For 6–8
2 carrots, peeled and diced
350g lentils
2 litres water, vegetable or chicken stock (p. 4)
2 stalks celery, strings removed, then sliced finely
salt and freshly ground pepper
juice of 1–2 lemons
3 tbs olive or sunflower oil
2 onions, peeled and sliced finely
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tsp ground cumin (optional)
Parboil the carrots in a little water. Wash the lentils and put them in a large pan with the water or stock. Bring slowly to the boil and add the carrot and celery to the pot. Cover and simmer gently until the lentils are soft; they will take 20–40 minutes, depending on the type and how old they are. Season with salt and pepper. If the lentils haven’t disintegrated, blend or push the soup through a sieve. Keep back a ladleful or so if you like more texture in the soup. Add more hot water or stock if the soup is too thick.
A few minutes before serving, stir in lemon juice to sharpen the taste and keep the soup on a very low heat. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onions until they are lightly browned, then stir in the garlic and, if you like a spicy note, the cumin. Fry for a little longer, then pour the contents of the pan into the soup and serve.
Pea soup
This is one of the best summer soups, especially when made with peas straight from the garden or allotment. If the peas are really fresh and sweet tasting, make the soup with water, otherwise use vegetable stock. You could make this soup with frozen peas if fresh aren’t in season, or if you’re in a great hurry.
For 6
2 leeks, cleaned and finely sliced
½ small cos or other firm lettuce, shredded
60g butter
500g peas, fresh or frozen (shelled weight)
1 sprig mint or basil
1.2 litres water or vegetable stock (p. 4)
salt and freshly ground pepper
150ml double cream or crème fraîche
chopped mint or basil to serve
Stew the leeks and lettuce gently in the butter in a large pan. When the lettuce is wilted add the peas and the mint or basil. Stir and pour over the water or stock. Season and simmer until the peas are tender: 10 to 15 minutes for fresh, depending on the age of the peas; frozen peas will be ready in 5–6 minutes. Blend the soup and then reheat it slowly, but don’t bring it to the boil. Stir in most of the cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Serve hot with a swirl of the remaining cream in each bowl and a scattering of chopped mint or basil.
This soup is also good chilled.
Pumpkin and Gruyère soup
This is a version of a soup made by Raymond Blanc when he opened the first Les Quat’ Saisons in Oxford in the seventies. I ate it there with Elizabeth David, who developed a version using Fontina cheese. For this recipe I have kept the original Gruyère, but both work well – as indeed does any cheese which melts readily. I have also added a pinch of mace and cloves which I find give depth to the pumpkin flavour.
For 4
600g pumpkin flesh, cubed
600ml water
¼ tsp ground mace
pinch of ground cloves
600ml vegetable or light chicken stock (p. 4, p. 5)
salt and freshly ground pepper
150ml double cream
100g Gruyère
Simmer the pumpkin in the water until soft enough to push through a fine sieve. Discard the fibrous bits left in the sieve, season the purée with the mace and cloves and reheat with the stock. Taste and season, remembering that the cheese will be somewhat salty. Add the cream.
While the soup is heating (do not let it boil), put on the oven at 180°C, 350°F, gas 4. Cut the cheese into small cubes and distribute them into 4 ovenproof soup bowls. Put these into the oven until the cheese begins to melt. Pour the pumpkin soup onto the cheese and return the bowls to the oven for a few minutes until the cheese starts to form threads. Do not leave the bowls in the oven for too long or the contrast between the sticky cheese and the creamy soup will be lost. Serve straight away.
Hearty soups
A satisfying soup-stew makes an uncomplicated, well-flavoured lunch or supper at any time of the year, followed, if you wish, by cheese, fruit or dessert.
Fish chowder
This classic New England fisherman’s soup-cum-stew is easy and very satisfying. Cod and haddock are the fish most often used. To smarten it up, you could add some prawns just before serving the chowder.
For 8
1kg cod, plus bones
50g butter
100g salt pork or streaky bacon, cubed
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 litre milk
salt and white pepper
300g cooked prawns in their shells (optional)
Simmer the fish with the bones in lightly salted water to cover. Depending on thickness and size it will take about 15–20 minutes to be almost cooked. Lift out the fish, strain and reserve the cooking liquid. Remove skin and bones and cut the fish into small fingers.
Heat the butter in a large pan and fry the salt pork or bacon until crisp. Remove the pork from the pan, put in the onion and brown lightly. Add the potatoes, the fish liquor and enough water to cover the potatoes. Boil until the potatoes are almost tender, about 8–10 minutes. Heat the milk, then add the salt pork, the fish and the hot milk to the soup and season to taste. Simmer for 3–4 minutes. If you are including the prawns, peel them and add them for the last minute so they heat through.
Variation
Smoked haddock chowder Replace the fish cooking liquor by 500ml fish stock and use 1kg smoked haddock, skinned and cut into fingers instead of the cod. Smoked haddock needs virtually no cooking, so make the soup as above, putting in the haddock to heat through for the last 5 minutes. The prawns go well in this chowder, too.
Harira
This thick, creamy Moroccan soup is traditionally eaten at sunset during the month of Ramadan to break the fast. It is the time when people stir themselves and start to think about the night-time celebrations. Like all traditional soups it has many versions: with lentils or dried broad beans instead of chick peas; with rice instead of vermicelli; the variations can be regional, urban, rustic or vegetarian.
For 6–8
400g shoulder or leg of lamb, cubed
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
150g chick peas, soaked overnight
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
salt
1.5 litres water
60g butter
4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 tbs chopped parsley
4 tbs chopped coriander
100g soup vermicelli
lemon quarters
Put the lamb, onion, chick peas and spices into a large pan and pour over the water. Bring slowly to the boil and skim off all the scum that rises to the surface. Add half the butter, cover and simmer for 1–1 /2 hours. Check the water from time to time and add more if necessary. Add salt to taste towards the end of the cooking time.
Heat the remaining butter in another pan and cook the tomatoes and herbs, seasoned with salt and pepper, to a loose purée. Check that the lamb and chick peas are cooked, then pour in the tomato mixture and add the vermicelli. Simmer for a little longer until the vermicelli is ready. Taste for seasoning and serve the harira with lemon quarters.
Roman bean soup
Small beans are best for this soup. The Italians are fond of mottled, brown borlotti beans, available in most supermarkets as well as Italian groceries. If you can’t find them use white haricots. Pick up a pot of red pepper flakes from the spice stand or use chilli powder.
For 4
250g borlotti or haricot beans
1 litre water
1 bay leaf
4 tbs olive oil
60g pancetta* or salt pork, chopped finely
1 large onion, peeled and chopped finely
1 carrot, peeled and chopped finely
2 stalks celery, strings removed, then sliced finely
3 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
4–5 fresh sage leaves, shredded
salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbs chopped parsley olive oil
Soak the beans for several hours or overnight. Drain and put them into a large pan, cover with the water, add the bay leaf, cover and bring to the boil. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface, lower the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.
Heat half the oil in a heavy pan and sweat* the pancetta, onion, carrot and celery. Don’t let the vegetables brown. When they are soft add the tomatoes, garlic and sage, season and add the red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir the vegetable mixture into the beans and simmer until the beans are tender. It will take anything from 45 minutes to 1¼ hours, depending on the age of the beans. Stir in the parsley 10 minutes before the soup is ready. If it is too thick, add more hot water. Remove the bay leaf and serve with a little olive oil drizzled over the top.
Soupe au pistou
This summer meal-in-a-bowl is similar to minestrone but comes from Provence and is served with pistou, the local version of Genoese pesto. The vegetables can be varied, but beans, a squash or pumpkin and some root vegetables are always used. The soup can be made ahead of time, but make the pistou at the last moment.
For 6–8
2 litres water
1 onion, peeled and chopped finely
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
250g pumpkin flesh, diced
3 stalks celery, strings removed, then chopped
150g haricot beans, soaked for several hours and cooked for 20 minutes
100g peas, fresh or frozen (shelled weight)
bouquet garni* of bay leaves, thyme and parsley
salt and freshly ground pepper
150g green beans, cut into short lengths
2 or 3 small courgettes, diced
90g short macaroni
250g tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
For the pistou
3 garlic cloves, peeled
large handful of basil leaves
75g grated Parmesan
100ml olive oil
Bring the water to the boil and add the onion, carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, celery, haricot beans, peas and bouquet garni. Salt lightly, season well with pepper, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the green beans, courgettes, macaroni and tomatoes and simmer for a further 15 minutes, until the macaroni is cooked.
To make the pistou, pound the garlic and basil to a paste in a mortar with a little salt. Add the Parmesan gradually, alternating with spoonfuls of olive oil to make a thick paste. It may be easier to mix with a large fork at this stage rather than the pestle. Alternatively, use a food processor or blender.
Check the seasoning of the soup and remove the bouquet. Do not heat the pistou, but serve it as an accompaniment at room temperature. Stir it well as the oil has a tendency to separate from the sauce.
Summer vegetable soup
This recipe was given to me many years ago by an old friend, the American cookery writer Nika Hazelton. It makes good use of fresh summer vegetables and produces a thick stew with very pure flavours.
For 6
2 large tomatoes, peeled and sliced
2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
3 medium courgettes, thinly sliced
1 medium cos lettuce, shredded
300g peas, fresh or frozen (shelled weight)
large handful of chopped parsley
3 tbs chopped basil
300g broad beans, fresh or frozen (shelled weight)
100ml olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
Make the soup in a deep pan. Put the sliced tomatoes on the bottom and top with the onions and garlic. Put the courgettes on top of the onions, followed by the lettuce and then the peas. Sprinkle half the parsley and the basil over the peas and add the broad beans. Sprinkle the remaining parsley and the olive oil over everything. Be sure to follow this order and do not stir or mix the vegetables.
Cook, covered, over moderate heat for 10 minutes or until the vegetables at the bottom of the pan release their juices. Season with salt and pepper. Now stir the vegetables and mix well. Cover the pan again and simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 30 minutes, until the beans are tender. Do not overcook. Do not add water: the vegetables have enough moisture of their own to make a thick soup. Serve hot or lukewarm, with Parmesan cheese.
Cold soups
We often think of soups as warming and sustaining dishes for cold weather or as soothing foods when we aren’t well, but soups have their place in warm weather as well. Cold soups are refreshing and undemanding on a hot day.
Apple and watercress soup
For 4
30g butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 bunch watercress
1 tsp curry powder
800ml vegetable or chicken stock (p. 4)
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 egg yolks
150ml double cream
2 crisp eating apples
juice of ½ lemon
Melt the butter and soften the chopped onion. Reserve a few small watercress leaves for the garnish and chop the rest of the leaves and the stalks. Stir them into the onion and add the curry powder. Pour in the stock, season, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 8 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat.
Whisk the egg yolks, heat the cream gently and pour it over the yolks together with a ladleful of the soup. Whisk everything well together, then pour the egg mixture into the cooling soup. Peel, core and slice one apple, add it to the soup which then whirl in the blender. When the texture is smooth, check the seasoning and chill for 2 hours or more. Peel, core and dice the other apple and toss it in the lemon juice. Garnish the soup with the apple and the reserved watercress.
Chilled avocado soup
Avocado soup is quick and simple to make and needs no cooking, but allow time to chill it.
For 6
3 large ripe avocados
juice of 1 lemon or lime
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock (p. 4)
300ml single cream
Tabasco or other chilli sauce to taste
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbs chopped coriander
Peel the avocados and remove the stones. Put aside one half avocado for the garnish, rubbing it well with lemon juice to avoid discolouration. Mash the remaining avocados with a fork and add the rest of the lemon juice. Blend the purée with the stock and most of the cream. Season with chilli sauce, salt and pepper, remembering that flavours are less pronounced when cold. Chill the soup for 2 hours or more. Serve with a swirl of cream, the reserved avocado cut into fine dice and the chopped coriander.
Chilled pea soup
Follow the recipe for pea soup on p. 14, then chill thoroughly before serving.
Chilled red pepper soup
For 6
6 red peppers
2 leeks, white part only, cleaned and sliced
2 stalks celery, strings removed, then sliced
3 tbs olive oil
1 litre vegetable stock (p.4)
3 large tomatoes, chopped
½ red chilli, chopped or ½ tsp chilli sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper
150ml crème fraîche or soured cream
2 tbs chopped basil or coriander
Roast and peel the peppers as described on p. 151. Remove all the charred skin, the core and seeds and cut them into pieces.
Sweat* the leeks and celery in the olive oil over low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes, chilli and peppers. Season and simmer for 20 minutes. Purée the soup in the blender, then pass through a sieve. Taste for seasoning, remembering that flavours are less pronounced when cold. Chill for at least 2 hours. To serve, add a dollop of crème fraîche and chopped basil or coriander to each bowl.
Gazpacho
This popular Spanish soup is only worth making if you have really ripe tomatoes.
For 4–6
3 slices day-old bread, crusts removed
4 tbs sherry vinegar or wine vinegar
750g ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
60ml olive oil
300 ml water
300ml tomato juice (canned or bottled)
salt and freshly ground pepper
½ tsp paprika
1 small cucumber
1 small onion
1 green pepper
Soak the bread in the vinegar. Peel and chop the tomatoes roughly. Put them into a blender with the bread, garlic, olive oil, water and tomato juice. Season with salt, pepper and paprika and blend until smooth. Chill the soup for several hours. Add more water if the gazpacho seems too thick and taste for seasoning when you are ready to serve.
Seed and dice the cucumber, peel and chop the onion finely and chop the pepper, discarding the seeds and white membranes. Put the vegetables into small bowls and let everyone take some to garnish the soup. Ice cubes may be added at the last moment too.
Hungarian cherry soup
One of the best chilled soups ever. The recipe was given to me by Victor Sassie, the original owner of Soho’s famous Hungarian restaurant, the Gay Hussar, where it was always on the menu in summer.
Dark morello cherries are acid, not sweet, and are available in July and August. Canned morellos can be used, but see the note below. If you want to make the soup with sweet cherries, omit the sugar and add more lemon juice.
For 6
500g morello cherries
1 bottle Riesling
60g sugar
2 unwaxed lemons
½ tsp cinnamon
small glass brandy
500ml soured cream
Remove the stalks and stone the cherries. Put the stalks and stones into a pan with the Riesling, sugar and the juice of 2 lemons and the grated rind of 1. Simmer for 5 minutes and leave to infuse for 15–20 minutes. Strain into a clean pan, add the cinnamon and the cherries with all their juice and bring slowly to the boil. Remove the pan from the heat and when the soup has cooled a little, stir in the brandy. Pour the soured cream into a large bowl and gradually pour in the soup, stirring to mix thoroughly. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Note
You can make the soup with cans or jars of morello cherries, but the flavour is less good. Simmer the cherries and their juices for 5 minutes with all the other ingredients except the cream, and finish the soup as above.
Vichyssoise
Follow the recipe for leek and potato soup (p. 12), but replace the single cream by 250ml double cream and chill thoroughly before serving.
Yogurt and cucumber soup
You find versions of this refreshing soup all over the Middle East. In some places it is finished with fried chopped garlic and crumbled dried mint, elsewhere with chopped fresh mint and coriander. Walnuts are used in southern Turkey. Use low fat or full milk yogurt depending on how rich you want the soup to be.
For 4
500ml yogurt
300ml water
2 cucumbers
4 spring onions, chopped
3 tbs chopped mint
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbs chopped walnuts
Stir the yogurt until smooth, then add the water. Peel the cucumbers, remove the seeds and grate or chop the flesh finely. Add the cucumber, onion and mint to the yogurt and season. Chill the soup for at least 2 hours and stir in the walnuts just before serving.
