Courgette Soup Delia Smith Recipes

OLD ENGLISH SUMMER SOUP

Steps:

• First of all, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter gently, then add the potatoes, spring onions, lettuce and cucumber. Stir everything round in the butter then, keeping the heat very low, put a lid on and let everything sweat for 10 minutes. Now pour in the stock, stir, add some salt and freshly milled black pepper and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat to low, put the lid on and let it simmer gently for another 20 minutes. Leave the soup to cool a little, then puree the whole lot in a blender. If you need to do this in two batches, it is helpful to have a bowl to hand to put the first batch in. Finally, check the seasoning, gently re-heat the soup and serve it with the freshly snipped chives stirred in at the last moment or sprinkle a few into each bowl.

COURGETTE SOUP WITH WATERCRESS AND PECORINO PESTO

Steps:

• Begin by melting the butter gently in a large saucepan, add the potatoes, courgettes, onion and garlic and stir everything around so the vegetables are glossy and covered in butter. You can also watch how to chop onions and prepare garlic in our Cookery School Videos on this page. Add a little salt and freshly milled black pepper, then partially cover the pan and leave the vegetables to sweat, to release the buttery juices, on a low heat for 15 minutes. Now add the stock, bring the soup back to simmering point and cook very gently for a further 7-10 minutes, again partially covered, or until the potatoes are soft and the courgettes are just tender. While the soup is simmering, make the pesto. All you do is put the watercress (stalks and all), garlic, pine nuts and olive oil, together with some salt, in a food processor or blender and whiz until you have a smooth purée. Then transfer the purée to a bowl and stir in the grated Pecorino (or Parmesan - but not for a vegetarian) cheese. When the soup is ready, cool it a little, then purée it in a blender until smooth - you will probably need to do this in two batches, so have a large bowl nearby to pour the first batch into. Next, put the whole lot back in the saucepan, stir in the cream, then gently re-heat the soup. Ladle it into bowls, top each one with a spoonful of the pesto and, using a skewer or the tip of a small knife, zigzag the pesto all over the surface of the soup.

COURGETTE & TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onions and courgettes, and cook for 5 mins on a medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Add the tomatoes and flour. Cook for a couple of mins, stirring around to stop the flour from becoming lumpy. Add the turmeric and stock, cover and simmer for 30 mins.
• Purée with a stick blender, then sieve if you want a really smooth texture. Serve hot with crusty bread, if you like, or chill, then freeze for up to 2 months.

COURGETTE, POTATO & CHEDDAR SOUP

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a large pan with just enough water to cover them and crumble in the stock cubes. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook for 5 mins. Add the courgettes, put the lid back on and cook for 5 mins more. Throw in the spring onions, cover and cook for a final 5 mins.
• Take off the heat, then stir in the cheese and season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Whizz to a thick soup, adding more hot water until you get the consistency you like. Serve scattered with extra grated cheddar, spring onions and nutmeg or pepper. Or cool and freeze in freezer bags or containers with good lids for up to 3 months.