Runner Bean Soup

 Uses up a glut of runner beans and is nice and tasty with lots of pepper.

1 tbsp butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

500g runner beans, chopped very small

1 carrot

2 ribs celery

1 litre well flavoured chicken or veg stock

 

Top and tail the beans and remove the stringy sides – not necessary if they’re slim and tender. Chop into one-inch long pieces. Finely chop the onion. Finely chop the carrot.

Heat the butter in a pan and add the vegetables. Toss and cook until they begin to soften and the carrot is translucent, stirring constantly.

Add the stock, cover the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

 Whizz in a blender, or use a handheld, and season to taste.

Seafood Chowder with Winter Root Vegetables

When I do this again I think I will omit the crab and just us cod. The Old Bay seasoning made it very tasty with a kick.

·         2oz shrimp

·         1 cod fillet

·         1 8oz can crab

·         1/2 small carrot chopped

·         2 ribs celery chopped

·         1/2 onion chopped

·         garlic granules

·         4 florets cauliflower (frozen works too)

·         1 tsp old bay seasoning

·         ½ pint Veg or Fish Stock

·         2 Tbsp Cream

  Serves 2

In a large stock pot, melt some butter on medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, cauliflower, and carrot. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the stock and old bay and cook another 10 minutes till vegetables tender.

Turn heat down so that broth bubbles very gently, and add the cod. Cook until cod is flaking apart and cooked through, 10 - 15 minutes. Add the crab and cream, and cook until heated through. Taste again and add additional salt and/or pepper.

At this point, add the shrimp and warm through.