It's time to get out the stockpot and ladle.
I had my first bowl of pumpkin soup this week. Made by a friend, it was bright and heartwarming on a grey day, and I was struck by its simplicity. Added to this cheapest of soups was a spoonful of crème fraîche and some small cubes of pancetta bacon that had been fried in a splash of olive oil until the edges turned crispy. There was no need to add anything else for it would only have been gilding the lily.
It put me in mind of other soups, as this brisk onset of autumn is surely a reason to eat them.
Minestrone was one that came to mind. More of a main course than a gentle entrée, this grand affair of a soup is better eaten the day after it is made. It can also up the internal body temperature by several degrees.
I am struggling with the reality that winter is coming, and I lack the patience to make soup a day ahead, so the summer cousin of minestrone, soupe au pistou, is a cheery substitute. Although it is still filling, it has little of the weight that most starch-based soups bring to bear.
The zucchini, a vegetable I usually eschew, makes a vibrant soup that’s light enough to be considered for lunch. The first jerusalem artichokes have arrived, and they can be made into one of the finest soups I know, but because I have a surfeit of tomatoes, they will have to wait. Meanwhile, I’ll be turning the tomatoes into a quick and cheap soup that could easily form a sauce for a pasta dish.
For my first recipe, I’ve stolen an ingredient from bourride, a fish soup thickened with egg yolks and cream and made with orange peel. My simple fish soup has its beginnings with onions and fennel, then I add the orange peel, wine and a tin of crushed tomatoes. The result is a rust-coloured supper that rewards with every fish-laden spoonful.
Use a mixture of any seafood you like in this fish broth. Anchovies can be melted into the onions and garlic to kick up the flavour, and saffron can be added if you want to make a luxury version. I use chicken stock for the body of the soup, as it provides a better base flavour and adds a bit of richness.
Simple Fish Soup with Clams, Fish, Mussels and Prawns
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 piece orange peel
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs of fennel tops
3 sprigs of thyme
200ml white wine
300ml tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
500ml chicken stock
300g fish fillets (gurnard, bluenose)
12 mussels
12 clams
4 large prawns
salt and black pepper
a small bunch of chervil
4 soft bread rolls
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Thinly slice the onion and garlic. Cook in the oil with the orange peel, bay leaves, fennel tops and thyme for 3-4 minutes or until the garlic and onion are golden. Add the wine, simmer for 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and stock. Simmer gently for 25 minutes, then add the fish and cook for 3 minutes. Add the shellfish and prawns, cover the soup with a lid and cook until the shellfish open. Season with salt and pepper then ladle into bowls. Finely chop the chervil and sprinkle over the top. Serve with bread rolls.
Serves 4.
A can of white beans forms the backbone of this soup. Ideally, it should be served at the height of summer when the days are warm and the basil plentiful. However, this soup will warm you up on a chilly evening. Afterwards, serve a salad with a sharp dressing to counteract the soup’s soporific effects.
Traditional Soupe au Pistou
1 leek
1 stalk of celery
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large potato
8 young carrots
1 small aubergine
2 zucchini
1 litre water or chicken stock
6 cabbage leaves
6 leaves spinach
400g can of white beans, drained and rinsed
100g green beans
Pistou
100ml olive oil
a handful of basil leaves
3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
Split the leek from top to bottom, wash thoroughly under cold running water, then shake the pieces dry and slice thinly. Finely chop the celery. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the leek and celery and cook slowly over a low heat until softened but not too coloured. Peel and dice the potato and wash the young carrots. Add to the pan. Peel and dice the aubergine and the zucchini. Add to the pan, with the water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Shred the cabbage and spinach finely, then rinse thoroughly in cold water, drain and shake dry in a tea towel. Stir into the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, drain the white beans and rinse under cold running water. Chop the green beans into 1cm lengths. Add both to the soup and cook over a low heat for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the soup is a dull green.
To make the pistou, purée the oil, basil, garlic and parmesan together in a food processor. Serve separately in small bowls so that diners can help themselves.
Enough for 4.
THIS light, fresh-tasting soup has a touch of late summer about it.
Zucchini and Almond Soup with Black-Olive Toast
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp unsalted butter
300g green zucchini
250ml chicken stock
½ cup blanched almonds
a handful of basil leaves
150ml cream
extra almonds
4 slices baguette
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tsp black olive paste or tapenade
Chop the onion roughly. Peel and crush the garlic. Melt the butter in a deep frying pan, then soften the onion and garlic without colouring. Wash and grate the zucchini, then stir into the pan. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the almonds and simmer for 2 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and process until smooth in a blender, introducing the basil and cream while the motor is running. Check the seasoning. Serve the soup in warm bowls with a sprinkling of extra almonds on top and olive toast at the side.
To make the olive toasts, toast the baguette slices on one side, then brush with oil. Spread with the olive paste or tapenade.
Serves 4.