Courgette Potato and Mint Soup
Courgettes are one of my favourite summer (fruit) vegetables. I bought a bag of 6 from my local greengrocer for 99p the other day. Potatoes love mint, and so do courgettes. Together it is a terrific combination.
I used to make soup for 80 people every Wednesday as one of my cookery jobs for a good few years. After making two huge vats of soup at the workplace that employed me, I would often snap a picture of whatever soup I had made that day and post it on instagram. My soup posts always got a lot of traffic, so much so, the last 4 cookery books I have written have all contained a SOUP CHAPTER. People love soup, and there is no denying that a big pot of soup is one of the easiest family mealtimes going. I also love the possibility of different combinations, what veg, spices, pulses to use in any given recipe, then there is stock or water, and what my family refer to as SOUP JAZZ to use when it comes to serving soup as a main meal.
For this soup, I have used very good olive oil, a few chilli flakes and plenty of grated pecorino.
Top Tip: Use a stick blender to part blend the soup. I have never been a fan of hiding veg when it comes to feeding kids, it is only by identifying various ingredients in front of them that kids can begin to have valid thoughts and feelings on the food in front of them. My youngest daughter will no doubt say she loathes courgettes, but part blended in this soup, she can whip out the big lumps if she wants, but incrementally those flavours and textures will enter her consciousness and being as she will know full well she is eating courgettes in this soup, albeit blended with potato and mint, she will still feel some sense of autonomy by whipping out the bigger pieces. I know this is not rocket science, but being as I get asked this question a lot; “how do you get your kids to eat such a varied diet?” The answer is exactly; “dishes like this one!”
INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large floury potatoes, approximately, peeled and diced into 2cm chunks
3 medium courgettes, diced into 2cm chunks
800ml - 1 litre vegetable stock or use water, depending on how thick you like your soup
2 x 400g cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, I used butter beans in my reel
Large bunch of mint, leaves picked and chopped
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Freshly grated pecorino or parmesan, to serve
Chilli flakes, to serve
1 Lemon, juice
METHOD
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a moderate heat. Add the onions and fry for around 8 minutes till softened, then add the garlic and fry for 2 mins more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the potatoes and courgettes and fry for 5 mins more until slightly softened. Add the beans and the water and bring to the boil.
Put a lid on, reduce the heat and simmer for around 20 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through and the courgettes are very soft.
Remove from the heat, partially blend, as much as you like to be honest. Check the seasoning and add the juice of the lemon. Add the chopped mint and stir well.
Serve the soup with a good slosh of olive oil, plenty of grated pecorino and a few chilli flakes if you want?