Olla Gitana is a typical soup of Murcia in the South East of Spain. Its combination of ingredients makes it practically a meal in its own right – and it is absolutely delicious and extremely filling.

It can be served with or without the addition of pork – and although many of the more traditional ingredients rule out this rich stew for vegetarians – with some careful fiddling it could be made suitable. Packed with beans and vegetables it is truly one of the best spanish stews / soups I have tasted. It is particular suited for the cold winter nights we are experiencing at the moment – yes, its true, even here we are having some seriously cold weather.

Ingredients::
2 x 14 oz tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or the equivalent dried, follow inst on pack)
2 pieces of pork shoulder
1 carrot, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
4 pints of chicken or vegetable stock
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
10 oz French green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch long pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
1 handful of blanched skinned sweet almonds
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 tsp pimienton (or to taste)
2 ripe plums tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
1 pinch saffron threads, crushed and added to 3 tbsp hot water
3 tsp red wine vinegar
Toasted Spanish peasant bread
Garnish – 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, rolled and thinly sliced

Method::
Put the chickpeas, whole pieces of pork and sliced carrots into a deep cassrole or pan, add sufficient stock to come three quarters way up the casserole then place over a medium beat, bring up to the boil, add the butternut squash, French green beans, season and gently bring up to simmering point, cook for 15 minutes
Add the olive oil to a frying pan (with a nob of butter for extra taste) set over a medium heat, add the garlic and almonds, cook for about 2 minutes, keep moving all the time, remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl lined with kitchen paper to remove as much oil as possible
Add the onion to the frying pan and cook until softened but not browned, about 3 to 4 minutes
Add the pimienton, stir then add the tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of the stock from the casserole, continue cooking until the tomatoes soften, reduce and deepen in colour, this should take about 5 to 6 minutes, while stirring add the casserole then stir in the saffron
Cook over a gentle heat until the vegetables are tender, the butternut squash should have begun to disintegrate, add more stock should the soup become too thick
When ready remove the meat from the soup, cut up into pieces and serve separately
Put the almonds and garlic in a food processor and blitz until finely ground, gradually add the red wine vinegar while stirring, then add to the soup, simmer for 5 minutes then transfer to a serving dish

When I was a child my Mum and I used to regularly go the coast for the day. Usually during winter when the seas were wild and stormy (we lived near the North Yorkshire coastline in the UK). These are ones of my most treasured memories, and as such a soup we frequently had is high on my list of comfort foods – this soup was Golden Vegetable. Here is an alternative created to ease those increasingly cold evenings.

Soup
1 mild onion – diced
1 shallot – diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 carrot  – diced
1 parsnip – diced
1 small turnip – diced
2 sticks of celery – diced
4oz chestnut mushrooms – quartered
2 tsp fresh thyme – finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley – finely chopped
1½ vegetable or chicken stock
1 tsp Vegemite yeast extract
Sea salt and black pepper

Dumplings:
4 oz self-raising wholemeal flour
2 oz vegetable suet
½ tsp of sea salt
1 tsp of fresh sage – finely chopped
1 tsp of English mustard powder
2 tbsp milk

Method:
Sauté the onion, shallot, garlic, carrots, parsnip, turnip and celery with the herbs over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, stirring to prevent the vegetables sticking

Add the quartered mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.

Stir in the stock, Vegemite and seasoning and simmer over a low heat for about 30 minutes

Sieve the flour, mustard powder and sea salt into a mixing bowl, stir in the herbs and vegetable suet. Add the milk and mix to a soft dough, being careful not to overwork

Form the mixture into small dumplings, place them into the casserole, simmer for 15 minutes, or until the dumplings puff up and rise to the top of the soup

Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Ingredients
100 grams of cannelloni beans – cook according to instructions on packet
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, finely diced
1 large red onion, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped.
155 grams spring greens – wash and finely shred (if liked)
1litre vegetable or chicken stock
Medium pack of Tomato Frito
Sprig of Thyme – take off leaves and discard stem, chop
6 large sage leaves, shredded.
Parsley, finely shredded
Sea salt and black pepper.
80 grams pasta (macaroni etc.)
Freshly grated hard cheese such as Parmesan or Manchego – plenty!

Method
Cook the beans, according to manufacturer’s instruction if dried, rinse and put to one side. If tinned beans are used, rinse and put to one side.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the carrots, onion and celery and sweat for about 2 minutes, do not brown. Meanwhile cook pasta and put to one side when done. Add the beans and garlic and cook for two minutes. Stir in the vegetables (except spring greens), thyme leaves, chopped sage and chopped parsley and seasoning. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Add spring greens, if liked, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, adjust the seasoning and reheat, serve sprinkled with the grated cheese. Serve with fresh crusty “Spanish Peasant Bread”.

While this is an Italian recipe, I live in Spain and like it on a cold winter’s day, yes we do have cold days up in the mountains (very cold at times), sprinkled with grated Manchego Cheese. I also add tomato frito – although it isn’t apparently traditional, I like it! I also (on occasion) use celery salt in place of sea salt and I have been known to add a little red chilli. Other vegetables and herbs can be used. In other words, I change this recipe as the fancy takes me.

There is nothing more comforting on a cold winters day that a steaming hot bowl of soup – especially this simple tomato and lentil soup which, I might add, I created today with no recipe in sight (owing to the fact I dont actually own a recipe for this soup but desperately wanted it!)

Actually, I have to admit, it was born of necesstiy -  with storms overhead we had no wish to make the journey to the store, and we had few ingredients in. That said it was well worth both the effort and risk! The soup was wonderful accompanied by a good helping of warmed emergency bread.

Ingredients

3oz Precooked Red Lentils
1 800g Carton of Tomato Frito [or similar - pasata for example]
1/2 Pint of Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, crushed

Method

• Saute Onions & Garlic in a little olive oil until soft
• Thrown in the precooked red lentils, tomato frito and stock
• Simmer gently for ten minutes.
• Season & Serve with crusty bread

Told you it was easy!

You may blend if you wish, but I prefer to serve it as is. The red lentils tend to fall slightly, and it is a lovely warming rustic soup this way – ideal for winter warming.

Cullen Skink is a soup which originated from a small town called Cullen here in the Morayshire. I live maybe thirty minutes up the road from there now. Made with haddock, potatoes and onions it is lovely warming soup for cold days.

Rather ironically a “skink” is traditionally a soup made of shin of beef. But in this case, Cullen Skink, is made from Smoke Haddock. I sampled this delightful soup in Cullen for the first time, it was a small fish & chip shop, famous in the local area for its excellent Cullen Skink. If you are every lucky enough to be in the vacinity of Cullen I do suggest you go and track this wonderful place down.

Ingredients

Smoked Haddock
Water
1 Onion
1 pint of milk
Mashed Potato
Salt and pepper
25g butter

Instructions

1. Skin the smoked haddock and cover with just enough boiled water to cover it.
2. Bring to the boil and then add the chopped onion.
3. Remove the haddock once it’s cooked and remove the bones. Remove the head and tail.
4. Break up the fish into a dish and replace the bones into the pot and boil for one hour.
5. Strain the stock and put back to the boil. Boil the milk in a separate pot and then add to the stock along with the fish.
6. Add the salt and boil for several minutes then add the mashed potatoes until you get a nice consistency.
7. Add the butter and pepper and serve.

In the heart of winter there is nothing more warming that a hearty soup. Other times one craves a slightly lighter soup which is packed full of vegetables and vitamins. I find this fills both needs in my book.

I love its vibrant green colour which can give life to the most grey of days. If you really do need an emotional pick me up without all the fat and useless calories then this really is the soup for you.

Ingredients::

1 Large Onion
2 Medium Potatoes
2 stalks of Broccoli
Butter
1 litre Vegetable or Chicken Stock

Method::

1. Fry off the Onion in the butter [chopped roughly]
2. Add the roughly chopped potatoes, and stir
3. Add the stock
4. Add the chopped stalks of the broccoli [not the florets] having remembered to remove the outer tough skin
5. Cook for around ten minutes until potato and broccoli stalks are cooked
6. Add the roughly chopped florets, and cook for one minute until done
7. Blend.

Serve with toast topped with grilled parmesan cheese.