| It isn't many foods that have poems written | | | | For 4 you need |
| about them. And remember the story of Esau | | | | 75 grams ( 3 oz) of pearl barley or red lentils |
| who, coming in tired and hungry, was willing to | | | | 4 medium potatoes, cooked for 10 minutes and |
| give up his birthright for a bowl of pottage - lentil | | | | diced |
| soup. I t must have been good soup! From the | | | | 2 carrots, diced |
| time man discovered that he could bake clay hard | | | | 1 onion, diced |
| in the fire he began to make clay pots - and what | | | | 2 chicken breasts - I prefer to leave them in |
| do you cook in such a pot? - Soup of course. | | | | quite big chunks, but you may prefer to cut them |
| The earliest pots have the markings of woven | | | | into smaller pieces. |
| sticks on the outside so presumably they first of | | | | 845 mls (1 1/1 pints ) chicken stock |
| all lined baskets with clay - but somehow soup in | | | | If you are using lentils boil them up in clean water |
| a basket never took off. | | | | first and then rinse and drain. This makes them |
| Every generation and every people group have | | | | less gassy. In a large pan cook the carrots, onion, |
| some form of soup or stew - it is served hot, | | | | stock, and pearl barley or lentils. Simmer at least |
| cold, thick, thin, creamy, clear, vegetarian, meaty, | | | | 20 minutes. Add the potatoes and heat through. |
| spicy - something for everyone. It isn't as | | | | Whether or not you need to add more seasoning |
| fashionable at dinner parties these days - starters | | | | depends upon the stock used. Add the potatoes |
| tend to be more complicated and dinner parties | | | | and cook for a further 20 minutes until the barley |
| an excuse to show off. But soup will go on as | | | | is cooked through. |
| long as people come home hungry and it is time | | | | Variations |
| for a revival | | | | Replace the onion with a finely sliced leek. If you |
| Sweet and Creamy | | | | drain off some of the stock you can add some |
| For 4 you will need | | | | diced ham and a pastry lid and you have a |
| 25 grams ( 1 oz) | | | | delicious chicken and ham pie. |
| I clove of garlic, crushed | | | | Salad Soup |
| 225 grams sweet potato | | | | Yes I know it sounds weird, but it tastes good. |
| 1 largish parsnip | | | | The use of lettuce in soup goes back all the way |
| 1 level teaspoon of paprika | | | | to ancient Rome. |
| 1 level teaspoon of chilli flakes or ½ | | | | For 4 you will need |
| deseeded chilli, finely sliced | | | | 25 g ( 1 oz) butter |
| 750 mls ( 26 fl oz) vegetable stock | | | | I medium potato, diced |
| 2 teaspoons of mustard of your choice - mine | | | | I onion, diced |
| would be honey mustard | | | | 520 mls ( 18fl oz) vegetable stock |
| 1 tablespoon of grated strong cheese - Parmesan, | | | | 75 grams (3 oz) peas - frozen are fine |
| Cheddar, Stilton | | | | 2 handfuls of lettuce leaves |
| 125 ml ( ¼ pint ) double cream or low fat | | | | 3 green onions ( scallions) sliced finely |
| yoghurt | | | | 4 radishes cut up small or sliced very finely |
| Salt and pepper | | | | Salt and pepper |
| Dice the sweet potato and the parsnip. Melt the | | | | 3 tablespoons of double cream ( or you could |
| butter and fry the garlic, parsnip and sweet | | | | save the top of the milk for a day or two.) |
| potato. Add the spices, chilli and stock. Bring to | | | | 1 teaspoon of chopped herbs - parsley, mixed |
| the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in | | | | herbs, oregano, chervil as you like |
| the mustard and cheese. Blend in food processor. | | | | Cook the potato and onion in melted butter. Add |
| Reheat in pan, but do not boil. Season to taste. | | | | the stock and peas. Boil and then simmer for |
| When serving add a spoon of cream or yoghurt. | | | | about 25 minutes. Shred lettuce finely and add. |
| Variation - you could replace the parsnip with | | | | Cook for 5 minutes and then blend. Add the |
| carrots or squash. | | | | chopped green onions and radishes. Season as |
| Chicken Soup - one version is known as New | | | | needed. Add the herbs. When serving add a |
| York Penicillin so good is the effect of eating | | | | spoonful of cream to top each bowl. |
| soups like this. | | | | |