Page 54 - Fresh Magazine

soup for life

TWO
OTHER CANNY

METHODS amount of onions and
COOK TIP
Sauté double the

freeze half to be used
for onion gluts
as a quick soup base
and busy pea lovers so that you’ve got a
head start on your
master recipe.

This fast, low-carb, high-protein, store cupboard soup has an amazing fresh taste. 50g butter Gruyère croûte

French onion soup with

SERVES 4

salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
500g onions, thinly sliced
FOR THE CROÛTE
½ teaspoon granulated
4 tablespoons extra
LUNCH TIP
virgin olive oil
sugar
You can swap the mint
1 litre good-quality beef
150g Gruyère cheese,
for rocket and add some 1 garlic clove, chopped 1 multigrain baguette
cooked shredded ham or stock grated
leftover ham hock for an 175ml dry white wine
easy and filling lunch. 1 tablespoon Cognac
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
First make the croûte. Cut 4 x 2.5cm-thick slices of
baguette. Place on a baking tray and drizzle with the extra
virgin olive oil. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes, until crispy
and crunchy. Leave to cool. Use the rest of the baguette to
serve with the soup.
Put the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan set over a
medium heat and melt together. Add the onions, garlic and
Super-quick pea and mint soup sugar and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce
the heat to its lowest setting and leave the onions to carry
SERVES 4 on cooking very slowly for about 30 minutes, until the
2 tablespoons olive oil 400g frozen peas, plus a handful of onions are soft and golden.
1 large leek, trimmed and thinly whole thawed peas to garnish Pour in the stock and wine and stir with a wooden spoon,
sliced ½ bunch of fresh mint, leaves scraping the base of the pan well. Bring to a simmer and
1 x 400g tin of butterbeans, picked cook, covered, for 1 hour. Add the Cognac and season with
drained and rinsed salt and pepper
750ml vegetable stock salt and pepper to taste.
When the soup is almost done, preheat the grill to
Heat the oil in a large saucepan set over a low heat. Add the leek and cook for medium-high.
5 minutes, until softened. Add the butterbeans and stock and simmer gently Ladle the hot soup into four ovenproof bowls and top with
for 15 more minutes. Add the frozen peas and cook for 5 minutes, then add the baguette croûtes. Sprinkle the grated Gruyère over the
the mint. Using a stick blender, purée the soup until smooth. Season to taste.
bread and place the bowls under the grill until the cheese
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the whole peas. is melted and bubbling. Serve straight away.

52 | FRESH AUTUMN 2017

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