Three soups I make all winter
None of these need stock from a shop. If you have kept the water from cooking beans or potatoes, use that; if not, water and a little more patience will do.
Onion, slow
- Six large onions, halved and sliced thin. Butter, heavy pot, lid ajar, lowest heat.
- Ninety minutes, stirring when you remember. Salt after the first half hour.
- A spoon of flour, cooked two minutes, then a litre of hot water or light stock.
- Twenty minutes more. Pepper at the end, bread on top, into a hot oven until it colours.
Potato and leek, no cream
- Three leeks, white parts only, sweated in oil until soft but not coloured.
- Four floury potatoes, cubed, water to cover by two fingers, a good pinch of salt.
- Twenty five minutes, then crush half of it with a fork and leave the rest whole.
- Olive oil and black pepper in the bowl. Cream hides the leeks; leave it out.
Tomato, for the end of the season
- A kilo of ripe tomatoes, halved, on a tray with oil and salt. Oven at 180 °C for forty minutes.
- Into a pot with a clove of garlic and half a litre of water, ten minutes.
- Blend, then pass through a sieve if you have the patience. I usually do not.
- A spoon of vinegar wakes it up if the tomatoes were dull.