A bowl of veg-packed soup with a couple of pieces of crusty bread on the side is one of my go-to meals all winter long. Due to limited time and zero cooking skills I have to admit that the soup is more likely to be out of a Covent Garden carton than homemade.

These two recipes, for a pea and mint soup and a tomato and basil soup, (both adapted from Jamie Oliver recipes by Borrowed Light, who also shot the beautiful photographs) could change all that. They sound relatively easy. And not too time consuming. I’ll let you know how I get on…

Summer-In-Winter Pea & Mint Soup

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{The Ingredients}
    Serves 6-8

  • Olive oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 stick of celery, trimmed and chopped
  • 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
  • 2 litres vegetable stock
  • 500g frozen peas
  • 200g mint, washed and spun dry
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 140ml soured cream
  • Extra virgin olive oil

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Method

Heat a large saucepan and pour in a little olive oil. Add in the chopped onion and celery. Turn the heat down and cook very gently with the lid on for 10 minutes, or until the onion has softened but not browned

Add the potato and stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the potato is cooked.

Next, drop in the peas and mint and simmer for a further 5 minutes until the peas are cooked.

Remove the pan from the heat. Whiz the soup with a hand blender or pour into a liquidizer and pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with a spoonful of soured cream swirled in, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some crusty bread and butter.

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Better-Than-Anything-Out-Of-A-Tin Tomato Soup

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{The Ingredients}
    Serves 6-8

  • Olive oil
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 sticks of celery, trimmed and chopped
  • 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
  • 2 stock cubes, chicken or veggie, organic if possible
  • 2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes
  • Small bunch basil
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional: 1 tbsp sundried tomato paste

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Method

Put a large pan on a medium heat and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add all the chopped and sliced ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon. Add the tomato paste if you are using.

Cook for around 10 minutes with the lid askew, until the carrots have softened but are still holding their shape, and the onion is lightly golden.

Put the stock cubes into a jug/pan and pour in 1.8 litres of boiling water from the kettle. Stir until the stock cubs are dissolved, then add to the pan with the tinned and fresh whole tomatoes. Give it a good stir and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on.

Remove the pan from the heat. Season with salt and pepper and add the basil leaves. Whiz with a hand blender or pour into a liquidizer and pulse until smooth.

Divide between the bowls, top with a sprig of basil. Serve with a spoonful of crème fraiche or sour cream if you like, and crusty bread and butter.

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