Gazpacho

ingredients

900g / 2 lb ripe tomatoes,
deseeded and chopped
1 large onion, choped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato puree
2 large garlic cloves
1 egg yolk
1 thick slice bread, crust removed
90ml / 3 fl oz olive oil
450g / 1 lb canned whole peeled plum tomatoes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, cut into wedges, to serve

How to cook?

• Put the garlic, egg yolk and bread in a blender or food processor. With the motor running, slowly add the oil in a thin steady stream until the mixture turns to mayonnaise.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, onion, cucumber, peppers and tomato puree in batches, and continue blending until smooth.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste, and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Just before serving, check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve cold with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

French onion soup

ingredients:
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
900ml / 1 1/2 pt vegetable stock
900g / 2 lb onions, thinly sliced
50g / 2 oz butter

How to cook?

• Fry the onions actual acclaim in the butter in a covered bucket for 15 account until bendable and starting to caramelize. Remove the lid, increase the calefaction and fry, stirring, for about 20 account until the onions are a affluent aureate brown.
• Add the banal and accompany to the boil. Reduce the heat, part-cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with alkali and pepper, and serve.

French bean soup

ingredients

550g / 1 lb 4oz canned cooked
cannellini beans, drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
125ml / 4fl oz white wine
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
400ml / 14 fl oz vegetable stock
100g/4oz mozzarella cheese, grated

How to cook?

• Calefaction the oil in a ample bucket over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic, and diaphoresis for 5 account until soft, active frequently.
• Add the actual capacity except the cheese, and accompany the admixture to the boil. Reduce the calefaction and awning the pan, again simmer for 10–15 minutes.
• To serve, abolish and abandon the rosemary sprigs. Ladle the soup into balmy bowls, and top anniversary confined with a little of the cheese.

Fish chowder

ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
100g / 4oz plain flour
200g / 7oz onion, finely chopped
200g / 7oz celery, finely chopped
150g / 5oz carrot, finely chopped
400g / 14oz canned chopped
tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
25ml/1fl oz dark rum
25ml/1fl oz Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
salt and ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2.4 litres / 4pt fish stock
200g / 7oz cooked boneless cod fillets, flaked

How to cook?

• Calefaction the olive oil in a abundant bucket over a average heat. Sweat the vegetables, tomatoes and garlic for 5 minutes, active continuously.
• Add the flour, biscuit and herbs, and abide to baker for a added 2 minutes. Add the banal and accompany to the boil, again crumble the angle into the pan with the rum, Worcestershire booze and Tabasco. Simmer for 1 hour, active occasionally.
• Season with alkali and pepper, and serve hot.

Hot sour soup

ingredients

50g / 2 oz bamboo shoots, sliced
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
3 tablespoons dry sherry
100g / 4 oz pork loin
1.2 litres / 2 pt chicken stock
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
225g / 8 oz tofu, diced
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
25g / 1 oz cornflour
1 egg, lightly beaten

How to cook?

1. In a medium bowl, soak the mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain, squeeze out any excess moisture and cut into 1cm/1?2in slices.
2. In a small dish, stir the cornflour into the sherry and set aside.
3. Put the pork loin in a large heavy pan and completely cover with water. Simmer until tender, then cool and shred.
4. Bring the stock to the boil. Stir in the pork, mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in the soy sauce and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the reserved cornflour mixture. Keep stirring until the soup has thickened.
5. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg. Mix in the tofu and heat through. Serve the soup hot.

Courgette spinach soup

ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 courgettes, chopped
1 potato, chopped
100g / 4 oz spinach, chopped
3 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
1.2 litres / 2 pt vegetable stock
150ml / 5 fl oz double cream

How to cook?

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan, and sweat the onion and courgette until the onion is transparent.
2. Add the potato, spinach, parsley and stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer the soup for 20 minutes. Allow to cool before blending or processing to a puree.
3. Return the soup to a clean pan, stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper. Reheat gently without boiling and serve. salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cock a leekie

ingredients
450g / 1 lb prunes, stoned
1.3kg / 3 lb boiling chicken
2.4 litres / 4 pt chicken stock
900g / 2 lb leeks, well rinsed
1 bouquet garni
salt and ground black pepper

How to cook?

1. Put the prunes in a bowl, cover with cold water and soak overnight.
2. Set the chicken, breast-side down, in a large casserole dish. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, skimming off any scum from the surface.
3. Using string, tie half the leeks in a bundle; thinly slice the remainder. Add the bundle of leeks to the casserole dish with the bouquet garni and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat, part-cover and simmer for 2 hours.
4. Lift out the chicken and keep to one side to cool slightly. Remove and discard the bundle of leeks and bouquet garni. Drain the prunes, add them to the casserole dish and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Shred the meat from the cooled chicken, discarding any skin and bones, and add the meat to the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the sliced leeks. Simmer for a further 10 minutes, then serve.

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