Rose Elliot’s New Complete Vegetarian

Carrot and coriander soup v

You can buy cartons of this everywhere but it’s so easy and economical to make your own. Simply follow the main recipe but using 1 teaspoon of crushed coriander seeds instead of the thyme. Crush your own seeds with a pestle and mortar and enjoy their sweet orangey aroma, or use the ready-ground type for speed. Add a small bunch of chopped fresh coriander after blending.

Carrot and ginger soup v

Use 2–3 teaspoons of grated fresh root ginger instead of the thyme for this soup, which is warming, fragrant and uplifting, but not spicy hot.

Carrot and lemon soup v

For this refreshing soup, just add 1 teaspoon of finely grated lemon rind and 2 teaspoons of juice after cooking; taste and add a little more if you like.

Cauliflower soup with almonds

Cauliflower makes a beautiful creamy soup with a delicate flavour. Try it with the herb bread, quick and easy focaccia or hot garlic bread .

SERVES 4

15g (½oz) butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 potato (about 150g (5oz))

½ fairly small cauliflower (about 225g (8oz)), broken into florets

1.2 litres (2 pints) light vegetable stock or water

1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder

150ml (5fl oz) single cream (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

a pinch or two of freshly grated nutmeg

2 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted to garnish

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and fry for 5–7 minutes, covered, until it is beginning to soften but not brown.

Add the potato and cauliflower to the pan and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, stirring often. Be careful not to let them brown, as this will spoil the delicate flavour.

Pour in the stock or water and add the bouillon powder, bring to the boil, cover and leave to simmer over a gentle heat for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Blend until very smooth and velvety. Stir in the cream, if you’re using it, and season well with salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper and grated nutmeg. Reheat, serve in warm bowls, and scatter over some crunchy golden flaked almonds.

Celery soup with lovage

The flavour of lovage is often likened to that of celery. It’s more pungent and aromatic, but goes well with celery and together they make a lovely soup. In a perfect world, where the seasons are observed in cooking, this would be made with the first of the English celery and the last of the lovage from the garden – it’s a perfect soup for a crisp autumn day. If you can’t get hold of any lovage, use some finely chopped celery leaves instead.

SERVES 4

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

outside stalks from 1 head of celery (about 450g (1 lb) in total), sliced

225g (8oz) potatoes, peeled and cut into even-sized chunks

1.2 litres (2 pints) light vegetable stock or water and 1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder

2 tbsp chopped fresh lovage

150ml (5fl oz) single cream (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry for 5–7 minutes until soft but not browned. Add the celery and potatoes and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, stirring often.

Pour in the stock or water and add the bouillon powder. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are very soft.

Blend well, but stop when it’s the consistency you like. Stir in the lovage, cream (if using) and a good seasoning of salt and pepper. Reheat gently before serving.

Celery and tomato soup v

This is a quick soup with a refreshing flavour and a chunky texture. If you make it in a pressure cooker it can be on the table in less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

SERVES 4

3 onions, chopped

outside stalks from 1 head of celery, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

400g can chopped tomatoes

575ml (1 pint) water or vegetable stock

salt, sugar and freshly ground black pepper

a squeeze of lemon juice

Fry the onions and celery together in the oil without browning for 5–10 minutes.

Add the garlic, tomatoes and water or stock, and simmer for a good 30 minutes or until the celery is meltingly tender.

Taste and season with salt, pepper, sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.

Chilled cherry soup

No one finds it odd to start a meal with melon and a fruit soup is simply taking this a stage further! This black cherry soup looks so delicious with its topping of soured cream or yoghurt that I don’t think you’ll have much trouble persuading people to try it. Plump, perfectly ripe, deep-red fresh cherries are best eaten exactly as they are, without any adornment, so for this soup I use frozen, stoned black cherries.

SERVES 6

450g (1lb) frozen, stoned black cherries

850ml (1½ pints) water

2 tbsp arrowroot

caster sugar, to taste

150ml (5fl oz) dry red wine

a little lemon juice (optional)

150ml (5fl oz) carton of soured cream, to garnish

Put the cherries into a saucepan with the water, bring to the boil and simmer gently until tender. This only takes a few minutes.

Mix the arrowroot with a little cold water to make a smooth paste, then stir a ladleful of the hot cherry liquid into the arrowroot mixture, mix and add it to the saucepan. Simmer for 2–3 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then add 40–50g of sugar to make it slightly sweet but refreshing. Chill in the fridge.

Before serving, taste and add a little more sugar if necessary or a drop or two of lemon juice to sharpen the flavour slightly. Top each bowlful with a spoonful of soured cream.

Spanish chickpea soup with garlic and mint v

1 recommend using dried rather than canned chickpeas for this Spanish soup because the flavour depends on the quality of the few ingredients: chickpeas, fresh herbs, garlic and olive oil. The oil is used both in the soup and to fry the crispy croûtons.

SERVES 4

225g (8oz) dried chickpeas (high-quality, Spanish variety if possible)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

a handful of fresh mint, stalks removed

a small handful of parsley, stalks removed

6 tbsp olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large slices of bread, cut into cubes

Soak the chickpeas overnight in plenty of water, then drain, place in a large saucepan, cover generously with fresh water and simmer for about 1½ hours or until really tender. The time can vary, so go on cooking them until you can crush one easily between your fingers.

Drain the chickpeas and reserve the cooking liquid. Blend or process the chickpeas with 850ml (1½ pints) of their liquid (made up with extra water if necessary), the garlic, mint, parsley and half the olive oil until very smooth.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and reheat gently. While this is happening, fry the bread cubes in the remaining olive oil until golden brown.

Serve the croûtons in a bowl for people to add immediately before eating.

Chilled creamy cucumber soup

In contrast to the next recipe, this is a cooked cucumber soup. It’s light, delicate and very refreshing.

SERVES 4

1 large cucumber, peeled and diced

1 small onion or shallot, chopped

850ml (1½ pints) vegetable stock

2-3 sprigs of fresh mint

2 tsp arrowroot or cornflour

4 tbsp double cream

salt and freshly ground black pepper

sprigs of fresh mint, to garnish

Put the cucumber and chopped onion or shallot into a large saucepan with the stock and sprigs of mint. Bring to the boil and cover, simmering for 10–15 minutes.

Purée the soup thoroughly and return to the pan. Blend the arrowroot or cornflour with the cream and stir into the soup.

Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, and cook for a few seconds until thickened slightly. (If you’re using arrowroot, don’t overcook it, because that will prevent the soup from thickening.) Season to taste.

Chill thoroughly, then serve in chilled bowls with a sprig of mint on top of each.

Bulgarian chilled cucumber soup with walnuts

Yoghurt, cucumber, walnuts and dill may sound like rather a strange mixture but it works, I promise you. The choice of yoghurt is up to you; thick strained Greek yoghurt gives the richest result but you could use whole milk or low-fat yoghurt if you want a lighter soup.

SERVES 4

1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into rough chunks

1 garlic clove, crushed

425ml (15fl oz) natural yoghurt

25g (1oz) shelled walnut pieces

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, to garnish

Blend the cucumber with the garlic, yoghurt, walnuts, about half a teaspoon of salt and a grinding of pepper, to a fairly smooth purée.

Taste and add some more salt and pepper if you think it needs it, then pour into a bowl and chill thoroughly.

Serve in chilled bowls sprinkled with the chopped dill.

Dal soup v

This light, refreshing soup is perfect for serving before a rice and curry meal. You can use either yellow split peas or split red lentils.

SERVES 4

175g (6oz) yellow split peas or split red lentils

1 large onion, chopped

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp grated fresh root ginger 1 bay leaf

1 litre (1¾ pints) water

juice of ½ lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 slices of lemon, to garnish

Cover the split peas or split red lentils with water and leave them to soak for a few hours, then drain and rinse.

Fry the onion in the oil in a large saucepan for 5 minutes, then add the garlic, turmeric, ginger and bay leaf and fry for a further 5 minutes.

Stir in the split peas or lentils and the water. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until the lentils or split peas are soft.

Remove the bay leaf and blend the soup. Add enough of the lemon juice to sharpen the soup and bring out the flavour. Season with salt and pepper.

Reheat gently and serve each bowl with a slice of lemon floating on top.

Fasolada v

This Greek bean soup is very filling and comforting, especially if you serve it with some country-style bread.

SERVES 4

6 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 sticks of celery, sliced

2 carrots, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

225g (8oz) dried haricot beans, soaked, rinsed and drained

1 litre (1¾ pints) unsalted vegetable stock or water

1 tbsp tomato purée

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper

squeeze of lemon juice

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time to prevent them from sticking.

Add the drained beans, stock or water, tomato purée and parsley, and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat and leave to simmer gently for about 1¼ hours or until the beans are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and a little lemon juice.

Serve with lots of country-style bread. If there’s any soup left over, it’s even better the next day.

Flageolet soup

This soup makes the most of the delicate flavour of pale green flageolet beans, and the green leek helps to accentuate their natural green colour. Use dried not canned beans for this soup, to get the best results.

SERVES 4

125g (4oz) flageolet beans, soaked overnight

1 small onion, chopped

1 leek, sliced

25g (1oz) butter

850ml (1½ pints) unsalted vegetable stock or water

4 tbsp double cream

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus extra to garnish

salt and freshly ground black pepper

fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

Rinse and drain the beans.

Fry the onion and leek gently in the butter in a large saucepan, covered, for about 10 minutes.

Add the beans to the onion and leek, together with the stock or water. Simmer gently for about 1 hour or until the beans are tender.

Blend the soup thoroughly, with the cream and parsley, until very smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Reheat gently without boiling, then scatter some fresh parsley over each bowlful before serving.

Gazpacho v

This unashamedly easy version of gazpacho is perfect for hot, lazy days. If you keep a can of tomatoes in the fridge in the summer you can rustle it up in a matter of moments. It’s nice served with some country-style bread or crunchy croûtons.

SERVES 6

1 large onion, cut into rough chunks

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes in juice

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp red wine vinegar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE

about 10cm (4in) cucumber, diced

1 small green or red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh chives

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

croûtons (made by frying cubes of 3 slices of bread in olive oil and cutting into small dice)

Purée the onion, garlic and tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, some salt and a grinding of pepper and blend again.

Pour into a bowl or jug and chill.

Just before serving, stir the cucumber, pepper and herbs into the soup, then pour into individual bowls and hand round the croûtons separately.

Hot and sour soup v

I’ve experimented with many versions of this soup to get it just right, and this one, with its mixture of fresh ingredients and spices preserved in sunflower oil, is my favourite. I love it; it’s light, but the heat of the chilli and the balance of flavours make it very satisfying and uplifting. It’s perfect before an Asian meal, such as chilli-braised tofu steaks or salt and pepper tofu. Don’t be put off by the ingredients list; everything can be bought at a large super-market and the soup is quick and easy to make.

SERVES 4

FOR THE STOCK

stalks from a large bunch of coriander

1.5 litres (2½ pints) water

1 onion, quartered

2 stalks of lemon grass, split in half

4 garlic cloves, halved, no need to peel

4 kaffir lime leaves

3 slices of dried galangal

3 dried red chillies

FOR THE SOUP

1 tbsp mild-flavoured olive oil

150g (5oz) enoki mushrooms, trimmed from their base

4 kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn

1–2 tsp lemon grass in sunflower oil

1–2 tsp galangal in sunflower oil

2 tsp tamarind in sunflower oil

1 tbsp tamari or shoyu soy sauce salt

4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

Put all the stock ingredients into a large saucepan, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down, cover and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and strain through a sieve into a large bowl, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Set aside for the moment, discarding the debris in the sieve. Rinse out and dry the saucepan.

Heat the oil in the saucepan, add the enoki mushrooms and lime leaves and cook for 1–2 minutes. Pour in the stock and stir in the lemon grass, galangal, tamarind, soy sauce and a little salt to taste. Bring the soup just to the boil, then remove from the heat, stir in the chopped coriander and serve.

Leek soup

Leek, potatoes, stock – this soup couldn’t be simpler but it hits the spot every time. You can blend it, keep it as it is or blend half of it and leave the rest to give some texture.

SERVES 4

1 tbsp olive oil

450g (1lb) potatoes, peeled and diced

2 leeks, sliced

850ml (1½ pints) water or light vegetable stock

150ml (5fl oz) single cream (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the potatoes and leeks and fry gently for about 5 minutes, stirring often and being careful not to let them brown.

Pour in the water or stock, bring to the boil then simmer, with a lid on the saucepan, for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Blend the soup, making it smooth or chunky, depending on your taste. Stir in the cream, if using, and season with salt and pepper.

Reheat gently without letting it boil. Ladle into warmed bowls and sprinkle over some chopped parsley.

Leek and carrot soup v

This pretty soup is pale golden and flecked with pieces of green leek, orange carrot and chopped fresh green herbs. It’s very cheering and uplifting on a winter’s day.

SERVES 4

2 large carrots, sliced

4 leeks, sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

850ml (1½ pints) vegetable stock or water

a pinch or two of freshly grated nutmeg

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp chopped fresh chervil or flat-leaf parsley

In a large saucepan fry the carrots and leeks together in the oil for 10 minutes without browning.

Add the stock or water and cook gently for 30–40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Blend, leaving some texture to the soup. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir in the chopped chervil or parsley just before serving.

Chunky leek and potato soup

This is comfort food, and it’s quick and easy to make. I like it as it is or with some hot, buttery, crunchy garlic bread. It’s also delicious with a soft mound of grated, sharp-tasting cheese melted into it.

SERVES 4

15g (½oz) butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

900g (2lb) potatoes, peeled and cut into chunky pieces

700g (1½lb) leeks, sliced

575ml (1 pint) water

1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder

salt and freshly ground black pepper

chopped parsley (optional)

Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes, without browning.

Add the potatoes and leeks, stir and fry gently for a further 5 minutes, stirring often.

Pour in the water, stir in the bouillon powder and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender.

Mash some of the potatoes roughly, to thicken the soup. Check the seasoning, then serve with some chopped parsley sprinkled over, if you like.

VARIATION

Chunky mushroom and potato soup

For this version, leave out the leeks and use 225g (8oz) sliced chestnut mushrooms.

Classic lentil soup v

I think this smooth, golden soup is the most comforting of all soups and it couldn’t be easier to make. It was the first solid food I gave my youngest daughter when she was six months old and she still adores it – in fact, it’s a great favourite with all the family.

SERVES 4

1 large onion, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

225g (8oz) split red lentils

1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable stock or water

1–2 tbsp lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion for about 5 minutes or until it’s lightly browned.

Add the lentils and stock or water and bring to the boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft and golden.

Blend the soup, adding water to thin it if you wish. Add lemon juice to taste and season with salt and plenty of pepper. Reheat gently and serve.

VARIATION