Green garden soup

Method

1. To prepare the vegetables, remove the bases of the stalks and outside leaves from the sprouts and halve each sprout. Pick the curly kale leaves from the stalks, washing and tearing the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Remove the outside strings from the runner beans and finely shred the beans. Halve the courgettes lengthwise and cut into thin slices. This whole process can be achieved well in advance of making the soup.

2. Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the sliced onion, celery and garlic and cook for 5–6 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add the stock or water and bring to a simmer.

3. After 5 minutes of simmering, increase the heat to bring the stock to the boil. Now it's time to add the vegetables – first add the sprouts and after a minute the curly kale. These will now both need 3 minutes before adding all the remaining vegetables – runner beans, courgettes and leek – and cooking for a further 3–4 minutes, until all are tender.

4. Season the soup with salt and a generous twist of pepper, and add the knob of butter, if using. If slightly thickening with the liaison, mix together the egg yolks and cream. Add a ladle of the soup liquor to this and mix well. Remove the soup from the heat and pour the liaison mix into the soup as you stir, slightly thickening and enriching the end result. Add the two herbs and the soup is ready to serve. Place a slice of bread, if using, into each bowl before ladling the soup over.

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