Come on in, the watercress is fine...

So Hugh FW has decided to go on about watercress this weekend. As well he should - it's coming into it's own this time of year, and - in contrast to just about everything else green and seasonal in March - it's got a striking flavour all its own.

I personally love a bit of peppery watercress, though I'm not a big fan of it in a salad on it's own. The bitterness can be just a bit too much. Where it's at it's yummiest is in a sandwich with fish (as Hugh FW mentions in the link above) or in a straightforward honest soup.

Two weeks ago for Mothering Sunday I served watercress soup as a first course and it went down a treat. There are many good versions out there (I quite like Delia's to use to get you thinking), and I've settled on these proportions, with the addition of silky natural yogurt at the end.

Watercress soup 

(serves 4 as a starter, serves 2 as a lunch)

2 bags of watercress, with stalks removed (use in a stock later ideally)
30 g reduced fat butter + 1 tbsp olive oil
2 large/3 medium leeks, chopped (with dark green/yellow parts removed)
500 g potato, peeled and chopped into cubes
2 tbsp bouillon powder + 1.25 l freshly boiled water (or 1.25 l of your own stock)
100 g natural low-fat yogurt 

a few reserved leaves for garnish
salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Do all the ingredient prep before you start cooking - time will then fly by. Heat the butter/oil in a large pot and add the watercress, potato and leeks. Season with pepper and allow to cook over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.

Like in Delia's recipe, add the stock and bring to a simmer (a light simmer) and let continue like that for about 15 minutes. Use a hand-blender to puree the soup.

Now, you could eat the soup like this, but on special occasions, I like to strain the soup, and this one's an easy one to do. In batches, put the soup through a strainer (a fine metal colander will do) and use the back of a wooden spoon to get all of the liquid through.

Return it all to the pot (making sure it's off the heat) and mix through 3/4 of the natural yogurt and season well. Put the pot back on a very low heat and serve immediately. (If you aren't ready to serve immediately, do the yogurt at the last minute.)

Garnish with a last daub of yogurt, a few leaves of watercress, and a last grind of pepper.

Calories: I didn't add them up, but it's got to be pretty low. And if it's good enough for Liz Hurley and John Lydon, it's good enough for you.

Don't knock it til you've tried it... Tomato-ginger soup

I know this isn't going to be my most popular post - the two comments I had on Facebook to this soup were 'yuck' and 'ew, pregnancy does give you weird cravings'.

But let me state officially for the record. I liked this LONG BEFORE I became pregnant. And it's yummy. If you like any sort of Indian food, you'll like this. And even if you don't like Indian food, I think you'll like it, as in my mind it has more of a European feel to it than anything else.

I first tried this back in 2005, when I found a recipe for tomato-ginger soup paired with grilled cheese and fennel sandwiches with curry mayo. I was very intrigued by the combination, and found I loved it - with or without the always wonderful grilled cheeses.

The second time I had it was in Provence in the summer - after picking lovely ripe wonderful tomatoes from the garden, we wondered what we could do to give a tomato soup a bit of oomph - and my mind raced back to the warmth that the ginger brought to the soup.

Years later, in the late months of winter, I think this soup has its merits - it's so easy to make, it's healthy and it's really tasty. And you can use those tins of basic chopped tomatoes from the supermarket that cost only 31p a go to make a fantastic soup. I made a huge batch and freezed some in individual portions.

Tomato-ginger soup

serves 2

2 tins chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium red onion, finely sliced

fresh ginger - about 1 inch, peeled and chopped

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of paprika

pinch of curry powder or garam masala

salt and pepper

cracked dried red chillies

optional: reduced-fat sour cream

Okay, this is almost too easy: heat the oil in the pot. Saute the onions over medium-high heat until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and saute for a few more minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about half an hour, checking the seasoning along the way and adding more salt/pepper/water to the mixture if needed.

After half an hour, use a handblender to puree the soup. Serve immediately or allow to cool and serve later. 

Lovely with a dollop of sour cream on top if you want a cool aftertaste to all that lovely warm ginger.

Calories: I don't have the exact figure, but each serving is easily less than 250 calories, including the sour cream. Would be good with a slice of bread to (or those grilled cheese sandwiches...)


So tell me your thoughts - would you try it? Do you think it sounds disgusting? Or would you only eat it with the divine grilled curry and cheese sandwiches?!

Recipe for pumpkin, cannelini bean and tomato soup with bacon

There needs to be a rule in October and November: one must incorporate pumpkin into your meals and daily activities at least once a week. Roast seeds? Check. Carve jack-o-lantern? Check. Make soup, curry, cannelloni, and whatever else you can extract from that big and beautiful orangeness? Check.

The latest adventure with pumpkin is soup-based, but the pumpkin is roasted first. I think this is pretty important, actually – like marrow, pumpkin can be a little flavourless if not infused with the right, well, flavours.

So a little pumpkin, acidified with a few tomatoes, proteined-up with some cannellini beans, and made meaty with a few rashers of bacon, was rather nice in my opinion. (And by the way, the bacon is completely optional, should you choose to eschew it.)

Pumpkin, cannellini bean and tomato soup with bacon

(serves 3)

1 kg raw pumpkin (skin on is fine), in slices

2 tsp + 1 tsp olive oil

200 g leeks, chopped

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 tin of cannellini beans, drained

1 tbsp of bouillon powder mixed with 1 litre of freshly boiled water

a few stalks’ worth of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme

4 rashers of streaky bacon, chopped

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Add the pumpkin and 2 tsp of oil to a foil-lined roasting tin and roast for 1 hr, turning halfway through. (This can be done ahead of time if you like.)

Add the final tsp of oil to a pot, and gently fry the bacon until slightly crispy, then remove and set on a piece of kitchen roll to soak up excess oil.

Add the leeks to the pot and saute them for a few minutes, before adding the cannellini beans and thyme. Season and stir, then add the hot stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.

When the pumpkin is ready, remove the skins if they seem too tough, then chop the roasted pumpkin into bite-size cubes. Add to the pot, along with the chopped tomatoes. Season again, then allow to simmer for another 20 minutes before serving in big bowls – top with the bacon, if you want it, or you could add a dollop of crème fraiche or set yogurt. Give it a final crack of black pepper and a pinch of sea salt and you’re sorted.

I’ve found 1 serving works for me, though my husband’s stomach wants something more like 2 servings (plus bread, of course). But the protein in the beans and the carbs in the pumpkin will sustain you easily throughout the evening.

The bottom line…

One serving, without bacon: 227 cals

One serving, with bacon: 292 cals

Double serving, without bacon: 454 cals

Double serving, with bacon: 584 cals

I really like how versatile this soup is –you can easily add things at the end to make it more appealing to someone with hungry eyes (and stomach). The only thing I’d do differently next time is chop the pumpkin into smaller pieces (given feedback from the husband). But despite this, he left not a drop of his double serving with bacon …

Experimenting with Moroccan fish and vegetable stew

Awhile ago a recipe posted by @foodista caught my eye on Twitter - twas a recipe for African vegetarian stew. Just the sound of the title enticed me - a quick look of ingredients revealed a tasty sounding stew filled with root vegetables like kohlrabi and sweet potatoes as well as chickpeas, tomato and lots of lovely north African spices.

Two things were missing for me: first, harissa, potentially the single-best condiment ever put on this Earth. It's fab as a marinade, in a sauce, or as a dip. (I like it on oat biscuits too with a bit of cheddar.) It's spicy, but deeply spicy, and just the thing in North African cooking. Secondly, I fancied a bit more protein, in the form of some haddock.

But you know what it's like - one tweak begets another.  Out goes the kolhrabi, in comes the swede. Out goes the couscous, in comes the pearl barley. Out goes the raisins, in come the figs. But all in all, I think I've kept the same essence of the dish, just made it a bit more accessible (and tasty, I like to think...)

And on the upside, it's really healthy (very low fat, as no oil was needed), super quick to make (bung in all in a pot and let it simmer), and most importantly, quite filling indeed. The recipe below makes four sizable servings - we had two of them last night and will have two more tonight. Just the thing for a crisp autumn evening.

Moroccan fish and vegetable stew

(serves 4)

1 small swede, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 courgette, sliced thickly
1 tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tin tomato puree
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100 g pearl barley, rinsed (or bulgur wheat or couscous, if you prefer)

50 g dried figs (or raisins, if you prefer)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp cumin
3 tins water

salt/pepper
200 g white fish (haddock works well)

2 tbsp harissa

freshly chopped coriander

I shall keep this simple: all you do is chuck everything except the fish/harissa into a pot, bring to a boil, and simmer for 45 min. Meanwhile, cut the fish into chunks and marinate with the harissa. About 5 min before serving, drop the fish and the freshly chopped coriander in and allow it to poach.

Calories per serving: 366. That is proper good value for money for such a tasty, filling dish. I was worried the figs might put my husband off, but he loved them. It's a good thing too, since we're eating it again tonight...

Creamy haricot bean soup with tarragon

I was first inspired to use white beans and tarragon by the wonderful Nigel Slater a few years back in his Kitchen Diaries. His recipe, naturally, uses butter – which is divine, but not often in my house these days.

Tarragon is one of the lesser-used herbs, but its aniseed perfume can be undeniably addictive when used right. It pairs well with chicken, creamy sauces and white wine (none of which are in my recipe, as it turns out.)

Well, that’s not strictly true: I’m aiming to make my soup creamy without the used of any dairy, and luckily, white beans are there to the rescue. Be they cannellini, haricot, flageolet, when cooked until they’re just falling apart and then pureed, they are absolutely spot on. Adding lots of filler vegetables bulks it up well.

Creamy haricot bean soup with tarragon
(serves 2)

1 tin of haricot beans, drained and rinsed
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
150 g carrot, finely chopped
1 medium leek, finely chopped
2 medium red onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 litre of hot chicken/vegetable stock, preferably homemade, but bouillon will do
2 tbsp light olive spread
20g tarragon leaves
salt and pepper
bay leaf
(optional) low fat crème fraiche

Heat the olive oil spread in the pot over medium heat and add the celery, carrot, leek, red onions and garlic. Allow the veggies to saute until they go transparent – cover if necessary to keep them moist.

After about 8 minutes, add the beans and stir through. Saute for another 2-3 minutes before adding the stock, the tarragon and the bay leaf. Season. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes.

Remove 3-4 ladelfuls of the veggie/bean mixture (including the bay leaf, but minus the stock) and set to the side. Use a hand blender to puree the rest of the soup left in the pot, before returning the mixture to the pot and stirring well. Do again if necessary to ensure a smooth consistency. Bring back up to a slight bubble and simmer for up to 5 more minutes before seasoning one last time.

Serve with a dollop of low fat crème fraiche, the remaining tarragon leaves (about 20 g per bowl). For the hungrier folks, an additional two pieces of toasted bread cut into ‘soldiers’ for dipping should do the trick.

Calories: for 1 serving with a dollop of crème fraiche but no bread: 365

Image: Zsuzsanna Kilián

A gorgeous Sunday night stew

What better after a long day on Sunday (writing an article, going for a run, doing household chores) to settle down to a rich, moreish stew.

Stew=boring, I can hear your brain calculating. But wait – this one’s exciting. There’s no beef, no carrot, no potato. This one’s got a twist.

I mentioned it as one of my March must-haves, and I finally got a chance to try it – it’s Valentine Warner’s pork anchovy and black olive stew with polenta. (Don’t freak, anchovy-phobes: the anchovies dissolve into the sauce and only provide depth.)

I’ve adapted this slightly, switching a few things around and reducing (believe it or not) the quantities of oil the recipe calls for. It’s still bloody lovely though – shockingly so.

Pork, anchovy and black olive stew (adapted from Valentine Warner)
(serves 2 generously)

1 kg boned pork shoulder, fat removed as much as possible, and cut into medium-sized chunks (will end up about 750 g)
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 medium bulb of fennel, chopped finely
1 tbsp olive oil
6 anchovies in olive oil
juice and peel of one lemon
3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp cinnamon
500 ml red wine
1 tbsp tomato puree
100 g dry black olives, stoned removed

for the polenta:
500g instant polenta
a splash of skimmed milk
10 sprays of olive oil
salt and pepper

for the gremolata herb topping:
handful of spinach
peel of half a lemon
1 large clove garlic

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron pot on the hob. Add the garlic and anchovies, stirring until the anchovies are dissolved in the oil. Then add the onion, fennel, lemon peel and lemon juice and stir to coat. Allow to saute softly over a medium heat, lid on, for about 10 minutes.

Add the pieces of meat to the pot and allow them to sear on all sides, pushing the onion and fennel mixture to the edges if necessary. It will take about 5-6 minutes to make sure the pieces are seared.

Then add the cinnamon and tomato paste, stirring to coat, before pouring in the wine. Put the lid on the pot and place in the oven for about 2 hours.

After two hours, add the olives and ensure the stew hasn’t gone too dry – if it has, add a bit more red wine and stir. Cook for another 20-25 minutes with the lid off.

Prepare the polenta by dropping the instant packet into boiling water for 20 minutes (or follow the instructions on the packaging).

While the polenta’s boiling, make the pseudo-gremolata by whizzing the spinach, lemon peel and garlic in a food processor.

When the polenta’s ready, remove from the packet and mash with a fork and a little bit of milk. Season to taste, before adding to the individual plates.

When the stew’s done, ladle the mixture over the polenta before topping with the spinach-garlic-lemon topping.

The brilliant thing about this dish is that a little goes a long way. I had ¼ of the stew and 1/3 of the polenta mixture, and I was very happy full. It keeps well too – Pete’s having the rest of it tonight…

Calories for a very generous serving: about 1000
Calories for a smaller portion like the one I had above: about 590

fast white bean stew

I'm officially in full stew-and-soup mode. That's why I really like the sound of this "Fast White Bean Stew" from Epicurious. It's a recipe from January 2007, so it's very appropriate for the weather. I've amended it slightly below to remove some of (what I think is) the unnecessary oil. As it serves four, I'd probably make it as is, and freeze the other half.

Fast white bean stew
(serves 4)

2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp plus 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 can of chopped tomatoes
420 ml of chicken or vegetable broth
2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
200-250 g boiled ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
black pepper
150 g of romaine lettuce or rocket
8 2-cm slices of baguette

Cook garlic in 2 tbsp of oil in a large heavy pot over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes to the garlic in oil. Stir in broth, beans, ham, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Stir in greens and cook until wilted (either 3 minutes for romaine or 1 minute for rocket).

While stew is simmering, preheat the grill. Put bread on a baking sheet and drizzle with remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Grill 3-4 inches (7-10 cm) from heat until golden (about 1-2 minutes.

Serve stew with toasts.

chicken soup with lemon and mint

I got this recipe from Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries. It's one of the only January recipes I really fancy. It's perfect the day after a roast dinner, as you'll have leftover chicken and, if you're on the ball, some yummy chicken stock to use. It's super quick to make - literally less than 15 minutes.

I've kept it almost the same - the only difference is I've substituted fresh parsley for fresh coriander and used more noodles.

Chicken soup with lemon and mint
(serves 2)

200 g cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 litre homemade chicken stock
2 dry blocks of medium egg noodles
juice from 1 lemon
30 g finely chopped mint
30 g chopped parsley

Cook the egg noodles in boiling water. Rinse in cold water and leave to the side.

Bring the chicken stock to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the chicken, mint, parsley and lemon and simmer for a couple minutes.

Add the noodles and simmer for one more minute. Check the seasoning - add salt if necessary. Serve in a big bowl with a fork and a spoon.

Calories per serving: about 500

a recipe for celery soup

I hope that title didn't put you off reading the post.

If you're still reading, you're in for a treat, because this soup is beautiful, delicate and very warming. Snatched from Jocasta Innes' The Pauper's Cookbook and modified slightly, my recipe for celery soup would make a perfect starter course - or a lovely main course if you bulked it up with lots of bread and maybe a salad with walnuts, pears and spinach.

I myself just ate it for lunch.

Celery soup
(serves 4 as a starter, or 2 as a main course)

500 g celery, chopped small
300 g potatoes, peeled and chopped small
250 ml skimmed milk, heated
30 g olive oil or olive oil spread
1 litre hot vegetable stock (I use Marigold's bouillon powder)
2 large handfuls of baby spinach
salt and black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg (optional, but yummy)

Heat the olive oil/spread in a large pot. Add the celery and the potatoes and stir until they are well coated. Cook for about 5-6 minutes over medium heat.

Add the litre of stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 45 minutes.

Use a hand blender to puree the mixture; strain the mixture through a sieve to remove any particles from the soup.

Return the mixture to the pan, and mix in the warmed milk, either with a whisk or the hand blender. Heat through. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg (if using); add the spinach and serve through. Serve immediately, or allow to cool before freezing in batches.

Calories: 150 per first-course serving, or 300 per main-course serving (not including any bread or butter).

festive carrot soup

Nigel Slater first turned me on to the pleasures of a simple soup of carrot and onion, with a bit of cayenne pepper. But today, I'm not really in the mood for cayenne - I want something softer, sweeter, more perfumed. Something festive - dare I say it - Christmassy. I'm going with a bit of allspice and ground ginger in my carrot soup.

Christmassy Carrot Soup
(serves 2)

500 g carrot, grated
3 medium onions, sliced thinly
3 tbsp oil
1 litre hot stock
1 1/2 tsp allspice
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
300 g stale wholemeal bread, cubed
20 sprays of olive oil

Heat the oven to 200 C. On a foil-lined baking tray, spray the cubed bread with olive oil and season well. Allow the croutons to bake for 40 minutes, shaking the tray halfway through.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and allow them to saute for about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and the remaining tbsp of oil and let them sweat down for a few more minutes.

Add the ginger, allspice and bay.

Add 3/4 of the stock and bring the soup just to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Season and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves, then use the hand blender to puree the soup. Then, slowly adding the last 1/4 of a litre of hot stock, puree it again, giving the mixture a smoother consistency.

Take the croutons out of the oven and allow to cool.

Serve the carrot soup with the croutons mixed in the soup. It should take on a lovely, almost porridgey consistency. It will be lovely, I promise!

leek and potato soup for a crisp winter's day

You can't beat a classic. And that's what leek and potato soup is. But you can destroy it, bastardise it, mess it up and/or overthink it, turning it from a classic into a boring option. Keep it simple.

I have some butter left over from a recipe that required it last week. I'm not quite sure how to use the rest of it, so I've decided to use it little by little in simple recipes, like this one:

Leek and potato soup
(serves 3)

2 large potatoes, chopped (about 500 g)
1 rib celery, chopped small
500 g extra trimmed leeks, chopped
25 g butter
1 litre of hot bouillon
100 ml semi-skimmed milk
salt and pepper

3 pieces of back bacon
10 g butter (to serve)

1. Melt 25 g of butter in a pot over medium heat; add the leeks and celery and let them sweat for about 10 minutes. Season with pepper

2. Add the chopped potato and stir well before adding the stock.

3. Bring to an almost-boil; reduce and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste.

4. Use a hand blender to puree the soup completely. Add the 100 ml of milk slowly, continuing to blend well.

5. Grill or sear the back bacon, and then chop up. Scatter on top of the soup with 5 g of butter per bowl; season again with pepper and serve.

Serves 2 well for a lunch, with one serving leftover for someone hungry (ahem) or for a snack later in the day.

Calories per serving: 361. A lot for a soup, but worth every one.

It's also easy to bulk this up for hungry souls with a couple of pieces of crusty bread.

chicken soup for the soul

This soup should be made on the same day as roasting a chicken. When you eat it is up to you - you can eat it the next night - a Monday - or freeze it and eat it another time. But it's soooo good.

country chicken soup
(serves 2)

300g roasted chicken, shredded (ideally leftover from a roast)

1 large leek, sliced
1 large carrot, diced
1 large stalk of celery, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil

750 ml chicken stock (ideally made from the chicken)
100 g dried soup mixture (peas, lentils, etc), cooked per instructions
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 large courgette, chopped
200 g mushrooms, sliced
100 g spinach leaves
salt and pepper
lemon juice
basil and sour cream (to garnish)

Heat the oil in a large pot. Sautee the celery, carrots and leek for about five minutes. Then add the hot stock little by little. Add the courgette, peppers and mushrooms and bring to an almost-boil, before reducing to a simmer for about 25 minutes. Then pour in the drained country soup mixture, the spinach leaves and the lemon juice. Season well.

If serving immediately, top with basil leaves and sour cream. Otherwise, freeze it as is, and slowly bring to a boil.

Calories: less than 350 for half. A great deal. And boys like it too, if "we can have this again" is anything to go by.

chickpea tomato and bread soup

I've not had much luck with chickpea soup (Delia's version is one of the most unpleasant things I've ever made), but I like the sound of Yotam Ottolenghi's take on the soup....

Basic ingredients - bread, tomatoes, celery, carrots and chickpeas - come together to make something that sounds ultimately warming and cozy. I probably wouldn't use 120 ml of olive oil, but that's just me.

mmmm.... mushrooms

It's atrocious, my absence. All I can do is offer this amazingly earthy, rich (and healthy) mushroom soup and beg forgiveness:

Super mushroomy soup
(serves 2)

500 g large mushrooms, stems removed, sliced, and stems chopped finely
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp Marigold bouillon powder added to 1/2 litre freshly boiled water
25 g chives, chopped
25 g dried mushrooms, soaked in 1 pint water
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp truffle oil (if you don't have it, just use olive oil)
100 ml skim milk

In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the fresh mushrooms, onions and thyme and saute over med-high heat for a few minutes, adding splashes of water as needed.

After five minutes, add the dried mushrooms, the mushroom water, and the bouillon and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to pull out about 1/3 of the mushrooms and put to the side. Use a hand blender to blend the rest of the soup. Replace the mushroom/onion mixture and bring back to a simmer.

In a small saucepan, heat the skimmed milk, but don't bring to a boil. Then stir through the soup, along with half of the chives and the truffle oil.

Serve the soup topped with the remainder of the chives, some cracked black pepper and some creme fraiche (optional - I didn't have it, but my husband did).

Calories: 200 calories per serving (without creme fraiche). (To bulk it up for others, add some bread and butter.)

"I'm definitely making this again," I said to Pete halfway through. To which he responded: "I'm definitely eating this again."

tomato, fennel and butter bean “bisque”

Speaking of eating your water, here’s a lovely new soup recipe I’ve come up with. I made it a few weekends ago, when I had an extra bulb of fennel lying around, but then I froze it.

Last night, arriving home and in no mood for a long kitchen session, this soup did the trick. Served with some toasted bread, this bisque of sorts was really lovely. Though there was no pureed seafood (unfortunately) the thick, creamy, tomatoey consistency was quite filling, especially for a vegetarian soup.

Tomato, fennel and butter bean “bisque”
(serves 4 as a first course or 2 generously)

1 can of cherry tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 can of butter beans
100 g leeks, chopped
1 large fennel bulb, sliced
1 tbsp bouillion powder such as Marigold mixed into 750 ml of freshly-boiled water
4 tbsp single cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sautee the leeks and the fennel in olive oil over medium heat until translucent – about 7 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and sautee for another 3 minutes. Rinse the butter beans and add to the pot. Then add the stock mixture slowly. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Add the tomato paste spoon by spoon and distribute well through the soup. Season.

(If you’re going to freeze the soup – stop here. The cream can be added on the day of serving.)

If you’re serving on the day, stir through 4 tbsp of single cream and season further to taste.

Serve with toasted bread – and maybe some fresh basil leaves on top.

Calories: 194 calories for a first-course serving (very low for such an indulgent-tasting concoction!). The “large” serving is 388, so still not very much at all. Of course, bread (and a glass of wine, which would go down nicely) would add to it, but given how healthy the soup is, I wouldn’t think that’s a problem.

Enjoy!

lentil persuasion

My husband hates lentils. I’m not sure why. Perhaps they fill him with dread, owing to visions of hippies singing and braiding each other's hair. Perhaps the vegetarian connotations - namely lentil burgers - frighten him. Perhaps the small round brown nondescriptness of the lentil scares him like a mouse scares an elephant. He hates them.

Nonetheless, they’re healthy, cheap, and I still occasionally try to convince him that lentils are only here to do him good. Wednesday night was such a night – I had evil, witchy plans of a lovely lentil and bacon soup. It’s a classic (see Delia)… but I love it as you can pretty much use whatever vegetables you like best (in addition to the noble triumvirate of carrot, celery and onion). The bacon was the lure on the soup’s fishing line: “Come here, husband, I taste of pork, you’ll like me…”

Lentil and bacon soup
(serves 2 generously, with some left over)

125 g lentils, rinsed well and drained
1 large carrot, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 large or 2 medium leeks, sliced (white onions are okay too)
125 g mushrooms, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
4 stalks’ worth of fresh thyme, chopped
1 litre of vegetable or chicken stock
2-3 tbsp of natural yogurt
5 sprays of olive oil
salt and pepper
freshly chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the leeks, carrot, celery and bacon and sauté over medium-high heat for 8 minutes. Add the thyme and garlic and sauté for a further 4 minutes.

Pour in the freshly rinsed lentils and mix together. Then tip in the stock and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, and then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt an pepper (don’t add salt before the lentils are cooked, or they won’t cook well).

Puree or blend the soup with a hand blender. (If you like to have a chunkier soup, reserve some of the mixture while blending, and then add once you’re satisfied with the consistency.

Serve in large bowls, topped with yogurt, parsley and spring onions – and bread, should anyone want some.

So was it a success? I’m not sure. He ate it all, and I heard ‘mmmm’ sounds. His comments? “It was nice honey, really hearty.” I’m not entirely convinced it was a winner. Maybe I should have used more bacon.

Update: He ate all the leftovers for lunch the next day. Perhaps I'm winning the war for lentils after all...

how to enjoy cherry tomatoes...in the dead of winter

Last night, all by myself, I could eat as a pleased. No worries of what my other half would think. I wanted simple. I wanted clean, I wanted fresh. I wanted tomatoes.

But January isn’t exactly the best month for tomatoes. Fresh ones, that is. For tinned tomatoes, however, it’s a different story. And if you’re lucky enough to have a local shop that carries tinned cherry tomatoes, there’s a delicious dinner just waiting to be heated up.

This recipe is actually much easier in winter than summer, when I’d prefer to use fresh tomatoes, which need more preparation.

Cherry tomato and courgette soup
(serves 1 generously)

1 tin of cherry tomatoes with juice (Tesco’s Finest and La Belinda are good brands)
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
1 courgette, sliced into rounds and quartered
1 healthy-sized clove of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
5 sprays of olive oil
water

Heat a medium saucepan. Spray with the olive oil and add the onions and courgettes. Add the splash of water to keep them moist. Then sauté for about 5 minutes, turning down the heat if necessary to prevent burning.

After 5 minutes, add the garlic and sauté for a further minute. Add the cherry tomatoes with juice and season well. Add another half tin of water (some of it will boil off). Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Allow to bubble away for about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Bang – it’s ready so quickly! That’s what I love about simple suppers.

What’s more, it’s under 200 calories. But should you want to jazz it up, here are some of my favourite ways to do so:

• add a tablespoon or so of parmesan to the top
• should you need a protein boost, chickpeas are fabulous in this soup – I often add them.
• for a fiery kick, add a chilli to the mix or creole seasoning
• during the summer, freshly torn basil leaves bring the soup alive.
• add other Italian seasonings, such as oregano (your soup will taste like pizza!)
• a dollop of reduced fat crème fraiche never hurt anyone

cauliflower and leek soup

I’m busy stocking my freezer with homemade soups for the post-Christmas hibernation period. Four portions of parsnip and celeriac soup have been stored for a frosty day, and last night a deliciously easy cauliflower and leek soup (recommended by my friend Marcella) joined in. (Though I couldn’t resist also bringing some for lunch today, and probably tomorrow too.)

Absolutely guiltless, virtually fat-free, creamy and light – a definite winner.

Cauliflower and leek soup
(makes 6 first-course servings)

1 large cauliflower, quartered, stem removed, and chopped
3 baby leeks (dark green parts removed, sliced lengthways and chopped
1.5 litres of vegetable bouillon
3 individual stalks of thyme
2 fresh bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring about two centimetres of water to boil in a large pot and add the leeks, allowing them to braise for a few minutes. Then add the hot stock to the pot, along with the cauliflower, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for about 20-25 minutes, until the cauliflower is very soft. Season well with salt and pepper.

Remove the stalks of thyme (the leaves should have come off by now) and the two bay leaves. Use a hand blender to make the soup into a thick creamy puree.

If freezing, remove from the heat and and allow it to reach room temperature before decanting it into freezable containers.

honey-roasted parsnip and celeriac soup

I'll admit I ripped the idea off of Marks and Spencer. But I can make it so much better! The original tasted quite lovely, with the sweetness of the honey and parsnips matching so well with the earthy, almost indescribable taste of celeriac. I didn't need the cream at all.

Honey (obviously) has quite a lot of sugar, but it has so many good benefits too. In the depths of winter, news that honey is better than cough syrup is not only a welcome but also a tasty development.

Only using a tablespoon of set honey for the entire soup enhances the flavour dramatically without significantly adding to the calorie count.

This makes about six 300g servings and is absolutely delicious.

honey-roasted parsnip and celeriac soup
(serves 6 for a first course)

3 medium-sized parsnips, peeled and cut into sticks
1 small celeriac, peeled and cubed
4 shallots
500 ml cold water
1 litre of hot vegetable stock
1 tablespoon of set honey (though any honey will do)
a handful of fresh lemon thyme
1 bay leaf
5-10 sprays of olive oil (about 2 ml)
salt and white pepper


Preheat oven to 200 C. Line a roasting tin and add the parsnips, shallots (no need to peel them), lemon thyme, honey and olive oil. Mix together to ensure the parsnips are coated. Roast for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the celeriac, cold water and bay leaf to a large pot. Bring to the boil about 10 minutes before the parsnips are due to finish roasting. Once boiling, add the hot vegetable stock, salt and white pepper to the soup.

When the parsnips are finished, remove from the oven. Add the shallots by squeezing the outside and allowing the insides to seep out. Discard the peels. Then tip the roasted parsnips into the soup and mix through.

Remove the bay leaf and use a hand blender to blitz the mixture until it takes on a creamy consistency. Serve immediately or save and freeze later.

Optional: add skimmed milk to the mixture should you like an even creamier consistency. Add slowly, whilst you are blending the soup and allow the mixture to warm through.

Tip: If serving immediately, add a small dollop of reduced fat creme fraiche and a few chives for a pleasing effect.

I had this for lunch yesterday, and freezed four portions worth for the upcoming week. My current plan is to stock my fridge full of warming winter soups for a great meal at the drop of a hat. Next soup, which I plan on making tonight: sweet potato, squash, fennel and radish.

“seasonable” vegetable soup

Today I went to the Horse bar with a few work colleagues for a leaving lunch. The food there is generally quite good.

Checking the specials board, I spied “seasonable vegetable soup” and stopped to contemplate. Surely it didn’t mean that I could have a go at adding as much salt and pepper as I would like? I’m being pedantic I know – the word “seasonable” can mean timely, or appropriate.

But seasonal sounds so much better! But there were no references to the actual vegetables, so I enquired further. After the waitress consulted the chef, she returned: “Carrot and peppers”. Not exactly seasonal – but possibly seasonable, I suppose. I ordered it.

It was…not bad, though not great either. I had no real complaints. Plenty of salt and pepper already in there – perhaps seasoned vegetable soup would have been a better description?