Spring soup, by John Woodward

Spring soup by John Woodward, head chef, Malmaison London Charterhouse.

This is a tasty and very cheap-to-make soup that spells spring-time. You can use whatever is cheap on the market; courgettes, fennel, young carrots, green beans, even pasta.

INGREDIENTS

• 200g diced onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 litre of good chicken stock
• 1/4 bunch chopped thyme leaves
• 100g smoked bacon lardons (large dice)
• 200g diced potatoes
• 250g broad beans
• 250g peas
• 2 tomatoes, de-skinned, de-seeded and diced
• 1/4 bunch chopped basil
• 1/4 bunch chopped mint

METHOD

1. Sweat off the onions without colouring them; add the crushed garlic then the bacon lardons and the thyme.
2. Cook over a low heat for five minutes. Add the stock and keep on a low heat for a further five minutes.
3. Add the potatoes, cook for two minutes, then add the peas and the broad beans. After two to three more minutes of cooking time, check potatoes are cooked and remove from the heat.
4. To serve, place in bowls and garnish with herbs and tomato and a drizzle of good olive oil alongside some sour dough bread.