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Gazpacho
700g tomatoes
1 small cucumber
1 red pepper
3 cloves garlic
300ml tomato juice
175g fresh white bread
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Mark a cross at the bottom of each tomato and place in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for 1 minute and then drain and cover in cold water and drain again. Skin the tomatoes, cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut tomatoes into small cubes. Peel cucumber, cut in quarter lengths and scoop out the seeds. Dice the remaining flesh and dice the red pepper. Save some cucumber for serving with completed soup and mix the remaining with tomatoes, pepper and tomato juice. Puree in food processor until smooth. Remove crusts from the bread and cut into cubes. Stir into tomato mixture and allow to stand for at least 5 minutes. Stir in tomato puree, garlic, vinegar and oil, then process again. Season to taste and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
Vichyssoise Leek and Potato Soup
25g Butter
2 medium leeks
1 small onion
350g potatoes
600ml chicken stock
150ml single cream
Salt and pepper
Fresh chives or watercress for garnish
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the leeks and onion and cook gently without browning. Add the peeled and chopped potatoes with the stock and seasoning. Bring to boil and simmer very gently for 20 ¡V 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then sieve or puree in processor until smooth. Chill completely. To serve, stir in cream sprinkled with chives or watercress.
Carrot and Orange Soup
25g butter
700g carrots
2 medium onions
1 litre chicken stock
Salt and pepper
1 medium orange
Melt the butter in a saucepan; add the peeled and chopped carrots and onions. Cook gently until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the stock and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Allow the soup to cool slightly and then sieve or blend. Finely grate the orange rind and add to the soup. Squeeze the juice from the orange and add to the soup. Gently reheat the soup and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Chicken Soup with Dumplings
1kg chicken
1 medium onion
1 litre chicken stock
350g carrots
Salt and pepper
100g celery sticks
50g pearl barley
Dumplings
40g butter
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
Pinch of grated nutmeg
100g semolina
Peel and chop onion and carrots. Slice chicken and put all three into a saucepan with the stock and pearl barley and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Make the dumplings by melting the butter, whisk the eggs and add to butter. Season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Gradually whisk in the semolina to form a thick paste. Allow to stand for 5 minutes to thicken. Shape the dumplings and drop into soup along with the diced celery. Simmer for 20 minutes and serve.
Minestrone
25g butter
2 rashers of streaky bacon
450g seasonal vegetables (carrots, courgette, celery, cabbage, leeks, turnip etc)
1 onion
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 cloves of garlic
2 litre of chicken stock
50g vermicelli pasta
Salt and pepper
Mixed herbs
Peel and chop the vegetables, onion and peel and crush the garlic. Dice the bacon and cook in the oil in a large saucepan. Add the vegetables to the saucepan and cook gently for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree and add the stock. Simmer for 30 minutes and then break up the pasta into short strands and add with the seasoning and mixed herbs. Simmer for another 10 – 15 minutes and serve.