Soups to savour the season’s change

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall,” wrote F Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby. Nearly nine decades later, songwriter Neil Young put it another way. “I’m still in love with you, I want to see you dance again. Because I’m still in love with you on this harvest moon.”
With the shortening days, families are spending more time indoors. The harvest is gathered, fires are being lit, and we require more, hearty meals! Soups meet this need.
Here is a classic Italian recipe that can involve all members of the house in the preparation. Everyone gets to take some part, and everyone gets to see where their contribution ends up! Like many classic recipes, it is based on using up ingredients in the
cupboard, simple ingredients to create a relatively complex result.

Multi-effort Minestrone
Young or old can be given different jobs to do for this recipe. It all combines in the pot, and everyone shares the same food. Serve with crusty, warm bread for maximum effect.

What you need
400g tin of cannellini beans
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
30g small pasta shapes or broken spaghetti
1 carrot, peeled/washed and cubed
1 leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 tbsp good oil for frying
1 handful of green beans
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cooked bacon slices chopped (optional)
600 ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
Good squeeze of lemon juice
Seasoning

What you do
Different people may chop different vegetables. An adult should supervise frying the leek in oil for four minutes, stirring regularly. Then add the rest of vegetables, garlic, tomato puree, dried herbs and stir cook for another two minutes. Now add the tinned tomatoes and stock, cook over a medium heat till the mixture boils. (In our house, The Brunette always tries to use an old rind of parmesan in the cooking so as to impart an umami flavour. We use a lot of parmesan, so normally have some knocking around.)
Next add the dried pasta and, if you are using it, the meat. Boil and simmer for eight minutes. Find a taster and give them a spoon of the soup mix cooled in a bowl. Decide whether the mix should have sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and/or a squeeze of lemon added.
When the taste is to your liking, spoon into deep bowls and enjoy. Remember to scatter the fresh flat leaf parsley on top just after serving out.


Courgette and almond soup
Here is an interesting, easy autumn combination that will appeal to the adventurous.

What you need
1 white onion, peeled and chopped
1 potato, peeled and chopped
3 courgettes, washed and finely chopped
15g butter
25g ground almonds
Flaked almonds to serve
125g cream (and extra to serve)
125ml milk
600ml vegetable stock
Seasoning

What you do
Cook the onion and potato over low heat with butter for five minutes. Add the stock, bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potato is soft. Now add the courgettes, bring to the boil again, simmer for five minutes until the courgette is cooked, then remove from the heat and add your cream and milk, then stir in the ground almonds.
Blend well with a stick blender, taste and season with your salt and pepper. Serve in warmed bowls, topped with the flaked almonds, and savour the interesting flavours!