Old Veg And Neil Diamond

I felt positively spring like this morning. Himself had gone down t’allotment to build a few raised beds for all the veg plants currently living in the stable so I was left to my own devices for an hour or two. Which means only one thing. I can bang out the music to my hearts content. It took a couple of false starts surfing Spotify until I found what suited my mood. So on went a Neil Diamond playlist. He has been one of my secret pleasures since I was a teenager. In fact, one of the first singles I was ever owned was “I Am, I Said”, given to me by my first teen love, the boy from up the road. I still have that single, preserved in a plastic wallet with our names forever entwined on the label. Ever since then I’ve had a soft spot for his music, which never fails to put me in a good mood. The perfect mood for domestic goddessing, so I wandered into the kitchen and had a poke about. 

Have you ever looked in your fridge and discovered a pile of past it’s best veg? I do, more frequently than I’d like to admit. This problem is usually caused by Himself buying our weekly veg with no forward meal planning. Oh, I have tried, believe me I have tried. I have even got a whole list of meals we can choose from each week. But all is in vain, he keeps buying that veg. 

Today was one such day, the fridge was full of unused, dried up, wrinkled carrots and parsnips alongside some wilting celery and a couple of shrivelled up peppers. I dragged them all out and dumped them on the worktop planning to chop them up for the wormery. Then I had a lightbulb moment. Rather than waste it all why not turn it into soup. I have often thought about making soups, well, even my kids and grandkids make their own! And I’ve got a soup recipe book! So why have I never done it before now? Laziness basically. 

After a quick peruse of a few recipes I found a couple which fit the bill. A vegetable broth and a leek and potato soup. I set about chopping, dicing and dancing along to Neil Diamond like I was 16 again. Alfie, our mad Irish Setter took himself into the front room where he watched in disbelief and the cat beat a hasty retreat over the garden fence.  An hour later I had two delicious pans of soup simmering on the stove.

Now all I need is something to store it all in.

Vegetable Broth

• 15g butter
• 2 large onions, chopped
• Bay leaf
• 1tsp dried thyme
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 large parsnip, chopped
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 100g pearl barley, rinsed
• 1.5ltr vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
2. Add the onions, bay leaf and thyme. 
3. Sweat until onions are soft and translucent.  
4. Add the carrots, parsnips and celery, sauté for 5 minutes.
5. Add the coriander and nutmeg, mix well.
6. Add the pearl barley, mix well.
7. Add the stock and bring to a simmer.
8. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the barley is soft.
9. Remove the bay leaf and serve with crusty bread or croutons. 

For a thicker soup pureé half the soup in a blender until smooth. Return to the pan and warm through.  

Leek And Potato Soup

• 2 large leeks, trimmed and sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3-4 medium potatoes, peeled andcut into small chunks
• Small knob of butter
• 1tbs olive oil
• 1ltr water or vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Double cream

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan.
2. Add the onion, leeks and potato and sauté for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
3. Add the water (or stock if using).
4. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potato is soft.
5. Allow to cool slightly and blend until smooth.
6. Return to pan and warm through. 
7. Season to taste.
8. Stir in the cream and serve with crusty bread.