Joining the Green Fingers Brigade.
Correen Robinson.
Serves 4.
4 leeks
500g potatoes
2 tablespoons of butter
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of parsley
1 tablespoon of oregano
800ml of vegetable stock (1 cube)
300ml of single cream (or crème fraiche)
100g of grated mature Cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper
It's best to get the food chopped up in the order of garlic, leeks then potatoes to start off with, then get the butter and put it in a large pan. Turn on the heat and add the chopped garlic. Cook it in the butter for a minute and then add the leeks. After a few minutes, add the potatoes, oregano, salt, pepper and stock. Give it a stir, then whack the heat up until the mixture starts to boil and let it simmer for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool for ten minutes, and then use a hand mixer or blender to make it as smooth as you want it. Stir the cream or crème fraiche in before heating again on a low heat and adjusting the seasoning to taste, then take the soup off the hob and dish it up. Mix in some chopped parsley and sprinkle the grated cheese on top to finish it off. If you are feeling thrifty, try freezing the leftovers in plastic containers for a rainy day.
|Ros Arksey (nibblypig.co.uk).
Serves 4.
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 heaped teaspoon of paprika
6-8 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon of tomato purée
750ml of stock made with 3 teaspoons of bouillon (or 1 stock cube)
400g tin of butter beans, drained and rinsed
Coriander, roughly chopped
A dash of chipotle Tabasco
Salt and pepper
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the shallot and cook until soft. Add the garlic and paprika, stir and cook for about 30 seconds. Put the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree into the pan and cook for five minutes, pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes until the soup has reduced and thickened. If it tastes slightly bitter, add a pinch of sugar. Add the butter beans and cook for a further 10 minutes. Turn off the heat. Throw in the coriander and a dash of Tabasco. Season well and serve with crusty bread.
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