Soup

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 1)

Butternut squash	¼ large one or ½ small one
Onion	¼
Garlic	½ clove
Orange	¼
Parsley	sprig
Vegetable stock	150ml / 1/3 pt

Peel and chop the squash. Chop the onion and garlic. Sauté the onion and squash in a pan with a little oil for 3 minutes. Add the garlic. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Squeeze in the orange. Put into a blender. Garnish with parsley.

Cullen Skink (serves 4)

Smoked haddock undyed	2
onions	2
potatoes	600g / 1.25lb
Full fat milk	450ml / 1pt
Unsalted butter	25g / 1oz
White pepper
chives

Peel and finely chop the onions. Peel and finely chop the potatoes. Put the haddock in a large pan with 300ml ( ¾ pt) water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes until the fish is just cooked. Remove the fish and flake into large chunks. Add the onions and potatoes to the pan with plenty of white pepper. The water should cover the vegetables. If not, add some milk. Cover and cook for 12-15 minutes. Then add the milk and butter and bring to the boil. Then simmer for 3 minutes. Season to serve.

French Onion Soup with Gruyere Crouton (serves 6)

onions	450 g / 1lb
Beef/chicken stock	900ml / 2pt
Plain flour	Pinch
Red wine	Splash
Vegetable oil	Splash
Olive oil	1 teaspoon
Butter	112g / 4oz
Brandy/cognac	2 tablespoons
garlic	3cloves
herbs	optional
French mustard	2 tablespoons
baguette	4 slices
Olive oil	Drizzle
gruyere	225g / 8oz

Thinly slice the onions. Crush 2 cloves and then crush the third but keep separate. Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a pan. When hot add the onion and two-thirds of the garlic and mustard. Cook for 6 minutes until dark. Reduce heat and cook slowly for 10-15 minutes. Add the flour and mix well. Stir well, scraping the pan. Add the red wine. Add the stock nd mix. When soaked up, cook for another 10-15 minutes. Add brandy before serving.

For the croutons – lace the slices of baguette with the remainder of the garlic and the olive oil and bake one side till its crusty. Add the grated gruyere to that side and glaze. Pop a crouton on top of each bowl of soup.

Minestrone Soup (per person)

Dried spaghetti	30g / 1oz
Potato	¼
Celery	1 inch stalk
Garlic	1 clove
Cabbage	30g / 1oz
Flat leaf parsley	1 sprig
Small carrot	¼
Small onion	¼
Tomato	1
Stock	112ml / ¼ pt
Tomato puree	1 teaspoon
butter	60g / 2oz
Bacon	1 slice

Chop the potato, celery, onion, and tomato. Shred the cabbage. Heat the butter in a pan. Add all the vegetables and puree, except the garlic, add the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Wrap the spaghetti strands in a tea towel and break into small pieces. Add the spaghetti and simmer for 5 minutes. Fine chop the bacon, parsley and garlic to paste and drop into soup to cook.

Mushroom Soup (Serves 1)

mushrooms	4 oz
Onions	1 oz
Garlic	¼ pint
Chicken stock	¼ pint
Butter	½ oz
Thyme	1 sprig

Chop mushrooms, onion and garlic and pick thyme leaves. Add butter to pan then sweat onions and garlic adding mushrooms and thyme, then cover with stock. Boil then simmer to cook. Blend soup and serve.

Pea and Ham Soup  (serves 4)

split peas	200g
Onion	2
Celery Stalks	2
Leek	1
Bouquet garni *	1
Vegetable Stock	3 pints
Ham hocks	1
Salt and white pepper

*(For the bouquet garni place 2 cloves garlic, a sprig of thyme, 2 bay leaves, 8 sprigs parsley and 1 all spice berry into muslin and tie into a parcel)

Wash, peel and chop the vegetables. Wash the ham hock. Wash the peas and pick through. Place all ingredients in a pot, season with salt and pepper and simmer until tender- skimming as required. Remove the ham, bouquet garni and puree the soup in the liquidizer. Return to the pot, taste and season and adjust the consistency if required.

Potato and Watercress Soup (serves 1)

Watercress	60g / 3oz
Potato	1
Onion	½
Vegetable stock	1/2pt

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