Lebanese Green Vegetable Soup

It’s been a lovely warm day – I spent my lunch hour without a jacket, wandering round the Dickens museum with some old friends. But this evening it’s chilly again. Time for soup. The boy loves soup, especially when served with fresh crusty bread and Normandy butter. We’re doing something a little different tonight.

200g basmati rice

2 litres chicken stock

2 leeks

1 head of celery, with the leaves

Salt and white pepper

4 cloves garlic, crushed

Juice of a lemon

1 tsp sugar

200g courgettes

2 tbsp dried mint

Brown bread of some interesting kind – rye would be nice

A log of goats cheese

This makes enough for one of you to have some for lunch tomorrow. I’m cooking the rice in a rice cooker, but if you don’t have one, just cook in the way that suits you best and set it aside.

Heat the stock in a large pan (Knorr stockpots are being used in our house) and slice the leeks and celery into slices just under a centimetre thick. Simmer in the stock for about 30 minutes, until tender.

The boy arrives at this point and he’s not in the best mood. He’s been out without his jacket for hours and now he’s freezing. No he doesn’t want to help finish off dinner.

Season the stock and add the garlic and lemon juice. Slice the courgettes in half lengthways and then cut into half-moons about the same thickness as you did the leeks and celery. Give it 5 minutes.

The boy is watching one of his sitcoms. He’s chuckling so you know the evening’s going to be okay. Add the dried mint and give it a final 3 minutes. Toast the bread – I hope you found a nice kind.

Spoon some rice into each bowl and then ladle the soup on top. Spread each piece of toast with some of the goats cheese.

The boy looks over my shoulder, expecting to see his salad. There isn’t one but it’s interesting that he’s expecting one.