Winter Vegetable Soup

Serves 4-6

I often call this a Minestrone Soup, however it has no pasta in it as a traditional Minestrone does and so that tends to confuse people, hence I have called this the Winter Vegetable Soup.

This is the best for many reasons. It is simple, you can use which ever ingredients you have in your fridge, it is very nourishing and delicious. Perhaps the secret to the deliciousness is that I do always have pumpkin in the soup and allow the pumpkin to break down making it extra thick. It never just tastes like vegetables boiled in water.

Having some pesto onhand for a dollop on top is always a winner, and fresh sourdough and real butter just tops it off.

The below is a very loose recipe. Chunky cut vegetables work well, always try to as large as you could fit on a spoon and into your mouth. The quantity of vegetables used depends on how many you wish to feed.

Ingredients

• 1/2 kent or jap pumpkin cubed

• onion, cut into large chunks

• 3-4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly or minced

• 3-4 sticks of celery sliced

• 1/2 fennel large chunks, or/and leek sliced

• 2-3 zucchinis and 2-3 carrots sliced in half lengthways and cut on the round

• 1/2 -1 capsicum, large chunks

• 1/4 to 1/2 cauliflower cut into bite sized florets

• 1 - 2 tablespoons of fresh or dried Italian herbs (oregano, thyme)

• handful of baby spinach leaves, or chard sliced with stems removed

• 1-2 tins of chopped tomatoes (or use fresh)

• 1-2 tins cannellini beans

• 2 -3 tbsp butter, ghee or coconut oil

• sea salt to taste, freshly ground black pepper

  To Serve:

• pesto (optional)

• chopped parsley

• fresh sourdough

Method

In a heavy based or cast iron large saucepan warm oils and lightly fry onion, garlic, leek, fennel and celery. Once nicely browned and remainder vegetables. Season well with salt and pepper. Place lid on pot and on a low to medium heat allow to cook down for 5-10 mins. Make sure you don’t burn vegetables and stir occasionally ensuring not sticking to bottom.

Add water to cover the vegetables and then add tins of tomato. Increase heat to bring to a gentle boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until vegetabes become soft. This will depend how big your pot is - for 1 I find it may only take 15-20 mins, for a large pot - 40mins. A good guide is when the pumpkin starts to break down. With the back of a wooden spoon start to smash/squish most of those pumpkin chunks and stir through.

Add drained tinned cannellini beans and spinach/greens if using, stir through, and allow to simmer for at least another 10-15mins.

Serve hearty bowls with cut fresh parlsey on top and a dollop of pesto if using. Fresh sea salt sprinkle and ground black pepper.

Enjoy!