Author: David Hall

Chilled pea soup ingredients
1 large fennel bulb, coarsely chopped
275g/10oz frozen peas, thawed
75ml/3fl oz double cream
1 teaspoon lemon liqueur such as
lemon schnapps or limoncello
1 teaspoon chopped spring onion
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, to garnish

How to make Chilled pea soup
• Put the fennel and 1.2 litres/2pt
water in a large pan over a
medium-high heat, and simmer for
10 minutes. Strain the fennel broth
and discard the solids.
• Purée the peas, cream, liqueur and
spring onions in a blender or food
processor. Season with salt and
pepper, then add the broth and
blend until smooth.
• Strain the soup through a sieve into
a metal bowl. Set in a larger bowl,
and fill the outer bowl with iced
water to reach halfway up side of
the inner bowl. Stir until the soup is
cold. Serve garnished with mint.

Leek and potato soup ingredients
50g/2oz butter
450g/1lb leeks, trimmed and
finely sliced
700g/1 1⁄2 lb potatoes, roughly chopped
900ml/1 1⁄2pt vegetable stock
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
450ml/ 3⁄4 pt milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
salt and ground black pepper

How to make Leek and potato soup
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the leeks and sweat gently for
5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the potatoes, stock, rosemary and
milk. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for
20–25 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat.
• Cool for 10 minutes. Discard the rosemary, then pour into a blender or
food processor, and purée until smooth. Return to a clean pan, and stir in
the parsley and crème fraîche. Season to taste. Reheat gently and serve.

Tuscan chicken Ingredients
8 chicken thighs, skinned
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 red peppers, seeded and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
300ml/10fl oz puréed tomatoes
150ml/5fl oz dry white wine
1 teaspoon dried oregano
400g/14oz canned cooked
cannellini beans, drained
3 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to make Tuscan chicken
• Heat the oil in a heavy pan, and sauté the chicken until golden brown.
Remove and keep warm. Add the onion and red peppers to the pan,
and gently sauté until softened but not coloured. Stir in the garlic and
sauté for a minute or so.
• Add the chicken, tomatoes, wine and oregano. Season well with salt
and pepper, bring to a boil, then cover the pan tightly.
• Reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for
30–35 minutes until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear.
• Preheat the grill until hot.
• Stir the cannellini beans into the chicken mixture, and simmer for a
further 5 minutes until heated through. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs,
and cook under the grill until golden brown.

Garlic and herb chicken ingredients
4 skinless chicken breast fillets
100g/4oz full-fat soft cheese
flavoured with herbs and garlic
8 slices Parma ham
150ml/5fl oz red wine
150ml/5fl oz chicken stock
25g/1oz Demerara sugar

How to make Garlic and herb chicken
• Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal slit along the length of each
chicken breast to form a pocket.
• Beat the cheese with a wooden spoon to soften it. Spoon the cheese into the pocket of the chicken breasts.

• Wrap 2 slices of Parma ham around each chicken breast, and secure
firmly in place with string.
• Pour the wine and stock into a large frying pan and bring to the boil.
When just starting to boil, add the sugar and stir well to dissolve.
• Add the chicken breasts to the mixture in the frying pan. Leave to simmer for 12–15 minutes until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear.
• Remove the chicken from the pan, set aside and keep warm. Reheat the sauce and boil until reduced and thickened. Remove the string from the chicken, and cut into slices. Pour the sauce over the chicken, and serve hot with a green salad.

Oxtail soup ingredients
25g/1oz beef dripping
2 oxtails
1 large onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 celery sticks
2 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons pearl barley
1 tablespoon plain flour mixed
with 2 tablespoons water
salt and freshly ground
black pepper

How to make Oxtail soup
• Melt the dripping in a heavy
saucepan. Fry the oxtails, onion
and carrot until brown, then add
1.2 litres/2pt water.
• Tie the celery, parsley and bay leaf
together, and add to the soup.
• Bring to the boil, add the pearl
barley and simmer for 4 hours,
skimming off any scum that rises to
the surface.
• Remove the large bones and
celery, parsley and bay leaf, then
thicken the soup with the flour
paste, stirring all the while.
• Season with salt and pepper, and
serve hot.

Lobster bisque ingredients
700g/1 1⁄2lb lobster
100g/4oz butter
50g/2oz carrots, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1⁄2 bay leaf
pinch of thyme
2 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons Cognac
75ml/3fl oz dry white wine
125ml/4fl oz fish stock
50g/2oz plain flour
350ml/12fl oz boiling milk
3 tablespoons double cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to make Lobster bisque
• Crack the lobster claws and cut the body and tail into four or five
pieces. Set aside.
• Sauté the carrots and onion in 25g/1oz of the butter for 5 minutes. Add the bay leaf, thyme, parsley and lobster, and cook for about 5 minutes until the lobster turns red. Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and ignite.

• When the flames die down, add the wine and stock, and simmer for
20 minutes.
• Remove the meat from the lobster, reserving the shells and broth.
• Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to make a roux. Gradually add the boiling milk, whisking or stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth.
• Crush the lobster shells and add to the sauce. Add the reserved broth
with the vegetables and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Strain through a
sieve into a clean pan. Bring to the boil and stir in the cream.
• To serve, add the lobster meat and the remaining Cognac. Season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

Spiced beef and onions ingredients
50ml/2fl oz olive oil
700g/1 1⁄2lb baby onions
900g/2lb chuck steak, trimmed and
cut into bite-size cubes
3 garlic cloves, halved lengthways
125ml/4fl oz red wine
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato purée
375ml/13fl oz water
2 tablespoons currants
salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to make Spiced beef and onions
• Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large heavy saucepan. Add the
onions and sauté, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from the
pan and drain on kitchen paper.
• Add the meat to the pan, and stir over a high heat for 10 minutes or
until the meat is well browned and almost all the liquid has evaporated.
• Add the garlic, wine, spices, bay leaf, vinegar and tomato purée.
Season with salt and pepper. Pour 375ml/13fl oz water into the pan,
and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour,
stirring occasionally.
• Return the onions to the saucepan, add the currants and stir gently.
Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Discard the cinnamon before serving.

Red pepper soup ingredients
4 red peppers
4 tomatoes
50ml/2fl oz vegetable oil
1⁄2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1⁄2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon mild curry paste
1 red onion, sliced
2 leek, white part only, sliced
1 teaspoon sweet chilli sauce
salt and freshly ground
black pepper

How to make Red pepper soup
• Cut the peppers into quarters. Remove the seeds and membrane. Grill until the skin blackens and blisters. Place on a cutting board, cover with a tea towel and allow to cool before removing and discarding the skin.

• Mark a small cross on the top of each tomato. Put in a bowl and cover with boiling water for about 2 minutes. Drain and cool. Skin, halve and remove the seeds.
• Heat the oil in a large heavy pan over a low heat, and add the marjoram, mixed herbs, garlic and curry paste. Stir for 1 minute until
aromatic, then add the onion and leek. Cook for a further 3 minutes.
Add the cabbage, tomatoes, peppers and 1.2 litres/2pt water. Bring to
the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Allow the soup to cool slightly, then purée in a blender or food processor for 30 seconds or until smooth. Return to the pan and reheat gently. Stir in the chilli sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Boston bean soup Ingredients
850g/1 3⁄4lb canned cooked pinto beans, drained
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 celery stick, sliced
2 medium onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
450ml/ 3⁄4pt beef stock
salt and freshly ground
black pepper

How to make Boston bean soup
• Put the beans, tomatoes, celery,
onion, bay leaf and stock in a
medium saucepan. Cover the pan,
and bring the mixture to the boil
over a medium-high heat.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for
about 20 minutes until the
vegetables are quite soft. Leave the
soup to sit, uncovered, for a further
20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
• Pureé half the soup in a blender
or food processor. Mix into the
remaining soup. Season to taste
with salt and pepper, and serve.

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup Ingredients
1 onion, sliced
50g/2oz butter
700g/ 1 1⁄2 lb Jerusalem artichokes,
peeled and sliced
600ml/1pt milk
salt and ground white pepper

How to make Jerusalem Artichoke Soup
• In a heavy saucepan over a low
heat, gently sweat the onion in the
butter until soft and translucent.
• Add the artichokes to the onion.
Cook, covered, for 10 minutes,
stirring a few times.
• Add 600ml/1pint water and the
milk. Season with salt and pepper
to taste, and simmer slowly – do
not boil or the milk may curdle.
• Purée the soup using a blender or
food processor. Taste and add
more seasoning if needed. Reheat
gently and serve.