Minestra di Verdura, Erbe e Crema

The boy loves soup on a cold day. I think some recipes are all the better for being old. This one is from a classic cookbook, called Leaves from Our Tuscan Kitchen. It was published in 1899.

Updating the measurements to metric would be defeating the object but an oz is roughly 30g, a pint, half a litre and ¼ lb is about 125g. These were meagre times so feel free to increase the amounts. I did, but I reproduce the original amounts here. Just don't try to be exact with this.

2oz butter

2 celery sticks, chopped

1 leek, chopped

1 carrot chopped

3 pints chicken stock

1 lettuce, roughly chopped

¼ lb spinach, chopped

3tbsp chopped herbs

Salt and pepper

Cream to serve

I love the simplicity of this dish. It reaches back in time and its ingredients suggest it’s a Tuscan peasant meal. All the better for that.

Melt the butter in a large pan and add the celery, leek and carrot. Cook it very gently so it all softens but doesn’t brown. Season with salt and pepper.

The boy has called to say he’s on his way home. Ask him to pick up some fresh soda bread on the way home. He asks if we’re having soup.

After 20 minutes, add the stock, lettuce and spinach. I love recipes that include cooking lettuce. I can’t imagine why we stopped doing this.

Bring it back to the boil and cook for 6 minutes. Pass it through the medium plate of a Mouli. If you don’t have one, blend in a food processor until it’s smooth. The boy bought me a mouli for my birthday. As he loves soup I assume he sees it as an investment.

Put it back in the pan and get the boy to check the seasoning. I can’t help thinking a handful of peas or broad beans would be perfect to give the texture some contrast.  He’s home now, with the soda bread. He’s buttering thick slices with salted Breton Butter.

Add the herbs. I’m using a mix of parsley, marjoram and thyme, as it’s what we have in the window boxes – though the authors suggest chervil, chives or tarragon as equally welcome.

Pour into bowls and add cream to serve. Jersey single cream is perfect for soup. The boy comments that it’s light and rich at the same time. He jokes that having lettuce in the soup is my ultimate attempt to get him to have a salad every day.

I think an old Italian movie would be right for after lunch, so we’re on the sofa together watching Rocco and his Brothers.