Kale, White Bean & Lemon Broth from The Soup Solution
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This month’s newsletter is rather different to usual. It’ll be my last for a little while because I am expecting a baby soon and I am about to start a period of maternity leave in the coming days.
I haven’t shared this information in the public domain yet, mainly because it’s not been entirely straight sailing to get this far and positive outcomes are never certain, but it’s now time for me to step away and set myself up for these important weeks to come.
I will very much look forward to continuing to write to you all when I’m back at work, so you can expect to hear from me again in the coming months. Right now, I am very keen to try and carve out some time and space for what lies ahead without too many distractions, but I will probably try and post on Instagram from time to time in a personal capacity whilst I am off, so you might like to keep up with things there, if you are interested.
I am signing off with three lovely seasonal recipes from my latest book The Soup Solution, which I hope you will find enjoyable as the seasons change and summer starts to arrive.
Thank you, as always, for reading, and I wish you a happy and healthy summer,
Charlotte
The following recipes have all been taken from my latest book, The Soup Solution.
This is a vibrant and clean-tasting soup that I find very uplifting to eat because it makes me feel I’m doing myself some good. The light broth is nutrient-rich and the beans, kale and garlic add fibre, vitamins and minerals. I like to serve it with a good drizzle of olive oil and sometimes a grating of Parmigiano Reggiano. The Fougasse or Focaccia (see pages 148 and 151) are wonderful accompaniments.
S E R V E S 4 – 6
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus
extra to serve
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped
rosemary needles
400g (14oz) can white beans,
such as cannellini or haricot,
drained and rinsed
1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable or
chicken stock
250g (9oz) kale leaves, stripped
from the stalks and roughly
chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
cheese, to serve
1. Warm the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add
the onions and celery, season with a little salt and pepper and
soften them for around 10 minutes, adjusting the heat so that
they don’t catch on the base or colour too much. Next, add the
garlic, rosemary and beans. Stir and fry for another couple of
minutes.
2. Stir in the stock and simmer for around 15–20 minutes until the
ingredients have melded nicely and the beans and onions are
tender. Add the kale and simmer for a further 5 minutes until it
is tender.
3. Stir in the lemon juice, taste and add a little more salt or juice if it
needs it. Ladle into bowls and top with a drizzle of oil, and some
Parmigiano Reggiano, and enjoy nice and hot.
٭ This soup will keep for around 2 days in the fridge and will reheat
well, although if you wish to prepare this in advance, don’t add
the kale until you reheat the soup a few minutes before serving.
Roasted Tomato, Coconut & Basil Soup
Tomato and basil are a classic combination in various cuisines, not least Italian, but they pair amazingly well with coconut, too. I am really fond of this trio of ingredients. This is another soup that I’ve found to be popular with children and adults alike.
S E R V E S 4 – 6
900g (2lb) tomatoes, cored and
quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large onion, thickly sliced
4 fresh basil sprigs, plus extra
to serve
2–3 tablespoons extra virgin
olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
500ml (18fl oz) vegetable stock
400g (14oz) can full-fat
coconut milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 230°C/210°C fan (450°F), Gas Mark 8.
Line a large baking tray (or 2 if you need more space) with baking
paper.
2. Put the tomatoes, garlic, onion and basil sprigs onto the tray(s).
Drizzle over the oil and season with salt, pepper and sugar. Toss
the ingredients to coat them evenly with the oil and seasoning
and roast for around 20–30 minutes until the onion is soft and
the tomatoes are sweet and tender.
3. Meanwhile, gently warm the stock and coconut milk together
in a large saucepan – one big enough to accommodate the
roasted vegetables.
4. Once the vegetables are roasted, transfer them immediately to
the warm stock and coconut milk in the pan. Blend until smooth.
Taste, adjust the seasoning if it needs it, and serve topped with
more fresh basil.
٭ This soup will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge, ready to be
reheated when needed. Don’t add the fresh basil garnish before
you ladle the hot soup into bowls, though, otherwise it will
deteriorate. Do not freeze this soup.
Parsnip, Rosemary & Olive Soup
Th is one is a personal favourite of mine. I love the combination of sweet parsnips, the green, almost resinous, taste of fresh rosemary, and salty black olives. It’s an unusual but moreish set of flavours and I find myself drawn to making this soup again and again.
S E R V E S 4 – 6
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, trimmed and thinly
sliced
400g (14oz) parsnips, peeled
and cut into 1cm (½in)
chunks
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped
rosemary needles
850ml (1½ pints) vegetable
stock
75g (2¾oz) pitted black olives,
chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Put the oil and leek into a large, lidded saucepan over a medium
heat, season with salt and pepper and fry for around 10 minutes
until the leek starts to soften.
2. Add the parsnips, garlic and rosemary and season with a little
pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add the stock, then simmer with a lid on for around 30 minutes
until the parsnips are tender.
4. Blend until smooth and stir in the olives. Taste to check the
seasoning and serve immediately.
٭ This soup will keep for up to 5 days stored in the fridge and
reheats well. It can be frozen successfully, but I recommend you
only add the olives when reheating the soup just before serving.
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