You Will Need

* 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 2 Tbsp butter
* 1 medium white onion, diced
* 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
* 3 bacon rashers, chopped
* 2 carrots, peeled and diced
* 2 celery stalks, sliced
* 16 oz whole peas
* 3 1⁄8 pt vegetable stock
* 24 ½ oz frozen peas
* salt to taste
* crème fraiche to serve
* 1 large saucepan with a lid
* 1 wooden spoon
* 1 hand blender
* 1 strainer
* 1 bowl
* 1 liquidizer or food processor
* 1 ladle
* 1 medium bowl

Step 1:
Thaw the frozen peas
Put the frozen peas into a medium-sized bowl to let them thaw naturally while you make the base of the soup.
Step 2:
Heat the oil and butter
Pour the olive oil into the saucepan and add the butter. Place the pan over a low temperature to heat.
Step 3:
Add the vegetables and the bacon
When the butter has melted, add the onions, garlic, bacon, carrots and celery. Stir the ingredients together well and leave them to sweat for about 10 minutes.
Step 4:
Add the peas and stock
When the onions are more or less translucent stir in the peas and then continue stirring as you pour in the stock.
Step 5:
Leave to cook
Cover the pan and leave the soup to cook for 35 minutes.
Step 6:
Slightly blend the soup
35 minutes later when the soup is well-cooked blend it slightly. Take the hand blender and buzz it briefly four to five times in different parts of the pan.
Step 7:
Pass through a strainer
Pass the soup through a strainer into a large bowl pressing as much out as possible.
Step 8:
Liquidize in batches
Now pour the soup into a liquidizer, add the peas and liquidize into a purée. When finished, pour this into a separate bowl.
Step 9:
Season with salt
Season with some salt to taste.
Step 10:
Serve and garnish with crème fraiche
The pea soup is ready to serve. Ladle it into the soup bowls and pop a spoon of crème fraiche on top to garnish.

You will need…

* 8 oz crusty white bread, without crust
* water to soak the bread
* 3 7⁄8 oz raw, peeled almonds
* 2 cloves of garlic
* 23 ½ fl oz cold water
* 8 ½ fl oz olive oil
* vinegar (red wine or sherry)
* salt
* 1 blender
* 1 spoon

Step 1:
Soak the bread
Place the bread in a bowl of water and soak thoroughly.
Step 2:
Ground the almonds
In a blender, purée the almonds, salt and garlic. Lightly squeeze the soaked bread and add to the blender. Blend until it forms a white paste.
Step 3:
Add the oil and vinegar
Slowly add the oil then a dash of vinegar.
Step 4:
Add the water
Gradually add the water to create a smooth, thick soup. If you add the water too fast the mixture will curdle.
Step 5:
Taste and add salt
Adjust the seasoning if needed after tasting.
Step 6:
Garnish and serve
Pour the soup into the serving bowls and garnish. In Andalusia the traditional garnish for this soup is peeled and seeded grapes but you could also use slices of apple or melon.

Step 1:
You will need

* 4 ¼ fl oz olive oil
* 3 leeks , cleaned and sliced
* 2 cloves of garlic , minced
* 1 onion , peeled and chopped
* 2 celery stalks , chopped
* 8 ¾ oz mushrooms , sliced
* 2 1⁄8 pt fish stock
* 8 ¾ oz tinned tomatoes
* 5 fl oz dry white wine
* 1⁄8 fl oz cayenne pepper , to taste
* 16 oz white boneless fish , cod, sea bass or monkfish, cut into small chunks
* 30 oz mixture of crab, shrimp, and mussels , for mussels, scrubbed with the beards removed
* fresh parsley , chopped
* salt , to taste
* freshly ground black pepper , to taste
* 1 large pot
* 1 wooden spoon
* 1 ladle

Step 2:
Gently fry the vegetables
Heat up the olive oil in a large pot and add the onions, garlic, leeks, celery and mushrooms. Cook until the onions are clear and soft.
Step 3:
Add the stock
Next, add the stock, tinned tomatoes and white wine. Bring it all to simmering point, add the cayenne pepper and season according to taste.
Step 4:
Add the fish to the pot
Put all the fish, including the shellfish with the shells still on, into the pot. This adds to the flavour of the soup. Continue to simmer until the fish is cooked; about fifteen to twenty minutes.
Step 5:
Garnish and serve
Once the fish is thoroughly cooked, serve in bowls with sprinkled parsley to garnish. You could also serve this soup poured over pasta.

You will need…

* 1 ¼ oz lentils (small brown type)
* 4 medium tomatoes
* 3 1⁄3 fl oz olive oil
* 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley
* 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled
* 1 dessert spoon cumin seeds (or ground cumin)
* 1 dessert spoon sweet paprika
* 1 tsp hot chilli flakes or powder
* Salt
* 2 1⁄8 pt water (approx)
* 1 medium pot with lid
* 1 chopping board
* 1 large knife
* 1 small knife
* 1 wooden spoon
* 1 colander
* Kitchen paper

Step 1:
Rinse and drain the lentils
Place the lentils in the colander and rinse them well under a cold tap. Drain and shake off any excess water.
Step 2:
Core and dice the tomatoes
Remove the cores from the tomatoes then dice them into approximately 1 centimetre cubes.
Step 3:
Chop the garlic
Finely chop the garlic.
Step 4:
Heat the oil
Over a medium heat, warm the oil in a cooking pot.
Step 5:
Cook the chopped garlic
When hot, add the chopped garlic and cook for roughly one minute, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
Step 6:
Add the spices
Add the cumin seeds, paprika and chilli flakes and stir for a further minute.
Step 7:
Stew the tomatoes
Add the tomatoes, turn the heat up slightly and stew for approximately 3 minutes.
Step 8:
Add the lentils
Add the strained lentils and stir well.
Step 9:
Add water
Pour about a litre of water into the pan, bring back to a boil and cover.
Step 10:
Cook
When boiling, turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for roughly thirty minutes or until the lentils are soft.
Step 11:
Prepare the parsley
Rinse the parsley under a cold tap and pat it dry with some kitchen paper. Spread it along a cutting board and chop coarsely, discarding any of the larger stalks.
Step 13:
Season and add parsley
After thirty minutes, add some salt to season, the chopped parsley and more water if desired.
Step 14:
Serve the lentil soup
Ladle the lentil soup into bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread.

Step 1:
You will need

* for the stock:
* chopped leftover turkey bones
* 2 carrots, chopped
* 2 celery sticks, chopped
* 2 bay leaves
* 2 onions, roughly chopped
* 1 Tbsp whole black pepper corns
* 1 tsp dried allspice berries
* 8 ½ pt water
* for the soup:
* 2 carrots, diced
* 2 celery sticks, diced
* 1 potato, diced
* 2 Tbsp parsley
* salt and pepper
* 2 saucepans
* 1 strainer
* 1 ladle
* 1 spoon

Step 2:
Begin the stock
Place the leftover turkey bones in the large pot and add the water. Bring it to a simmer and give the surface a skim.
Step 3:
Continue the stock
Add the onions, celery, black pepper, allspice, and bay leaves. Make sure they are all submerged and to a simmer.
Videojug Tip
At this point that you can add any spices that you want.
Step 4:
Strain the stock
Once the stock has boiled down to less than 3/4 its original volume, place a strainer over a smaller pot and pour. The remaining solids can be thrown away.
Step 5:
Add the vegetables
Add the carrots, potatoes, celery and season with salt and pepper. Let it return to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender.
For a change, dice up any leftover meat that you might have and add it at the very end.
Step 6:
Garnish and serve
Sprinkle on little fresh parsley and serve while steaming hot.

You Will Need

* 40 garlic cloves, peeled
* 2 onions, chopped
* 2 carrots, chopped
* 4 celery stalks, chopped
* 2 1⁄8 oz bread crumbs
* 1 can chopped Italian plum tomatoes
* 3 1⁄8 pt chicken stock
* Half tsp cayenne pepper
* Half tsp curry powder
* Half tsp black pepper
* 1 Tbsp oregano
* 1 Tbsp thyme
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 4 fl oz double cream
* 2⁄3 oz plain flour
* Salt
* 1 large saucepan
* 1 blender
* 1 wooden spoon

Step 1:
Sweat the vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and when hot sweat the onions, celery, carrots and garlic until soft.
Step 2:
Add the flour, spices and herbs
Stir in the flour and mix thoroughly.
Add the cayenne pepper, curry powder, black pepper, salt, oregano and thyme.
Cook for 5 minutes while stirring.
Step 3:
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer
Add the tomatoes, bread crumbs, cream and the stock.
Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes while stirring .
Step 4:
Blend
Pour the soup into a blender and purée until smooth. If necessary, add water to thin the soup down and taste to check the seasoning.
Step 5:
Serve
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve while hot.

Ingredients:
Toor Daal (Dried Split Pigeon Peas) – 1/2 cup
Spinach – 1/2 bunch, washed and chopped
Onion – 1/4 med, finely chopped
Tomato – 1/2 med, 1″ cubes
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Water – 2 cups
Oil – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Curry Leaves – few leaves
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Asofoetida – pinch
Dry Red Chili – 1, optional
Garlic – 2, crushed
Kasturi/Kasoori Methi – 1 tbsp, optional
Red Chili Powder – to taste
Tamarind Paste – 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Wash and soak the Toor Daal for half hour.
2. Drain the water from the Toor Daal and pressure-cook it with 2 cups fresh Water, Turmeric Powder and Tomatoes.
3. Give it 2 whistles and take it off the flame.
4. In a separate pan, heat Oil.
5. Once Oil is hot, add the Mustard Seeds and allow them to pop.
6. Add Cumin Seeds and let them sizzle.
7. Add the following in this order and keep mixing – Dry Red Chili, Methi Leaves, Curry Leaves, Garlic and Onions.
8. Mix well and cook till the Onions start to turn golden brown.
9. Add in the Spinach and cook till it wilts.
10. Add in the cooked Daal and mix well.
11. Add Salt, Red Chili Powder and Tamarind Paste.
12. Mix and allow it to boil for a few minutes.
13. Serve hot.
14. Serves 2

You will need…

* 17 ½ oz red beetroot
* 2 large carrots
* 1 turnip
* 7 oz white cabbage
* 1 large onion
* 1 garlic
* 2 Tbsp butter
* 8 cups (4 pints) bouillon
* 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
* 2 bay leaves
* 1 tsp sugar
* salt, black pepper
* 1 bouquet garni , or a bunch of parsley and dill
* sour cream to garnish
* 1 sharp knife
* 1 cutting board
* 1 large saucepan with fitted lid
* 1 wooden spoon

Step 1:
Prepare the ingredients
Wash the vegetables thoroughly and chop them roughly into bite sized pieces.
Step 2:
Prepare the condiment
If you are making your own bouquet garni, wash the parsley and dill and tie them into a bouquet.
Step 3:
Get started
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the turnip, carrots and onion. Braise for about 10 minutes at a low temperature, letting the vegetables cook slowly.
Step 4:
Add other ingredients
Add the beetroot, bouillon, vinegar, sugar, bay leaves and mix gently.
Step 5:
Add the spices
Season the mixture with fresh black pepper and salt, to taste. Put in the garlic and stir once. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and let it simmer for 45 minutes.
Step 6:
Finish cooking
Add the white cabbage and the bouquet garni and cover the pan again. Simmer for a further 30 minutes. Remove the bouquet and bay leaves before serving.
Step 7:
Serving suggestions
Spoon the soup into deep bowls and add a generous dollop of sour cream.

You Will Need

* 1 tsp unsalted butter
* 3 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
* 17 fl oz chicken stock
* 4 ¼ fl oz white wine
* 1 Tbsp fresh dill
* ½ tsp ground nutmeg
* 6 ¾ fl oz sour cream
* 4 ¼ fl oz yoghurt
* ½ tsp salt
* freshly ground black pepper
* 1 saucepan
* 1 blender
* 1 bowl
* 1 wooden spoon
* 1 whisk

Step 1:
Brown the cucumber
Heat the butter in a frying pan. Add the cucumber and fry for 10 minutes or until it is slightly brown in colour.
Step 2:
Add the stock
Pour in the chicken stock and increase the heat to a medium high temperature. Bring it to boiling point, stirring occasionally and then add the white wine.
Step 3:
Lower the heat
Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, still stirring occasionally. Add the dill, nutmeg, salt and pepper and let it simmer for a few more minutes.
Step 4:
Blend
Pour the soup into a blender and purée until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool.
Step 5:
Whisk in the yoghurt and sour cream
Once cooled, add the yoghurt and half of the sour cream and whisk until thoroughly combined. Cover and place in the fridge to chill.
Step 6:
Garnish and serve
Once it is thoroughly chilled, serve out into bowls and garnish with a dollop of the remaining sour cream, cucumber slices and fresh dill.

Step 1:
You will need…

* 3 ½ oz tinned black beans , (in own juice)
* 3 Tbsp olive oil
* 1 red onion , peeled and sliced
* 3 garlic cloves , peeled and finely chopped
* 3 fresh chillies , finely chopped
* 2 Tbsp tomato purée
* 2 1⁄8 pt chicken stock
* 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
* salt and pepper
* for the salsa:
* 3 tomatoes , cored and finely diced
* 1 bunch of fresh coriander , chopped
* 2 spring onions , finely diced
* the juice of 1 lime
* 1 Tbsp sour cream , to garnish
* 1 chopping board
* 1 small knife
* 1 large knife
* 1 medium cooking pot with lid
* 1 wooden spoon
* 1 dessert spoon
* 1 small bowl

Step 2:
Heat the oil
Place the cooking pot over a medium heat, add the olive oil and allow to warm through.
Step 3:
Cook the ingredients
Add the chopped onion and garlic and stir. Add the cumin seeds, tomato purée and the chillies before stirring again. Allow to cook for a couple of minutes then add the beans and the stock. Stir, cover, bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes.
Step 4:
Combine salsa ingredients
While the ingredients are cooking, make the salsa. To small bowl, add the tomatoes, coriander, spring onions and lime juice. Season well with salt and pepper then combine using a dessert spoon.
Step 5:
Garnish and serve
Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls and heap over with the salsa. Spoon over some sour cream and serve with a slice of lime and some nacho chips!