Dayplan

Soups

4. Chestnut Soup

4 servings

500g peeled or canned chestnuts
1 medium onion
1 medium carrot
1 medium leek
1 small turnip
100g haricot beans (soaked for 8 hours)
1.5 litres vegetable stock
1 orange
2 heaped tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
Freshly milled black pepper

Peel and chop the onion. Scrape if necessary and chop the carrot. Wash and chop the leek. Peel and chop the turnip. Wipe the orange and remove the zest with a zester or fine grater. Cut the orange in half and squeeze out the juice. Take a heavy-based large saucepan and add the onion, carrot, leek, turnip, chestnuts, haricot beans, stock and freshly milled black pepper. Bring the mixture to boiling point and leave to simmer for 1 hour. Liquidize the mixture in a blender or food processor. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and reheat, and just before serving, add the orange juice and zest. Serve in a hot soup tureen sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley.

5. French Onion Soup

3 servings

500g onions
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
600 ml vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 bouquet garni
freshly milled black pepper.

Topping

3 Slices wholewheat bread
75g Cheddar cheese or vegan cheese
2 teaspoons French mustard

Peel and slice onions finely. Skin and crush garlic. Heat oil in a heavy based pan, add onions and crushed garlic. Fry for 20 minutes until onions are evenly browned. Add stock, bay leaves, bouquet garni and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes. Toast bread, spread with French mustard and arrange on the bottom of a flame-proof soup tureen.

Grate cheese. Remove bouquet garni and bay leaves and adjust seasoning as necessary. Pour soup into the tureen. When toast floats to the surface, sprinkle with grated cheese. Put dish under a pre-heated grill for 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Gazpacho

3 servings

500g tomatoes
½ a cucumber
1 large green pepper
4 spring onions
1 clove of garlic
2 heaped tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley
300 ml cold water
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
freshly milled black pepper

Skin and de-seed tomatoes or simply wash them. Chop roughly. Wash cucumber and peel or leave skin on. Take half and chop roughly. Finely dice the other half. Wash green pepper, remove seeds and divide it into two. Cut half up coarsely and finely dice the other half. Wash spring onions. Cut 2 of them roughly and finely chop the other 2.

Put roughly chopped vegetables into a blender. Skin and crush garlic, add to the mixture and add oil and vinegar, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and pepper. Blend mixture until smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl; add cold water. Adjust seasoning if necessary and chill.

Mix together finely chopped vegetables and remaining parsley. Sprinkle onto chilled soup and serve.

back to vegetarian menu : back to vegan menu