In a stunning revelation that will shock absolutely no one, chef and author Lucy Tweed has confirmed that soup is good, actually. Her new book 'Tender' offers three Mediterranean soup recipes that promise to deliver 'true restoration in a pot' - which is basically what people have been saying about soup since the invention of fire and hollowed-out gourds.
Tweed's minestrone, she assures us, contains no bits that will 'poke the roof of your mouth or wedge into a molar'. Instead, it offers 'warm, honest, soft-edged texture' and is made infinitely better with a swirl of garlicky homemade pesto. The recipe features 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 brown onion, 2 celery stalks, 3 carrots, 2 garlic cloves, 2 zucchini, 1 red capsicum, 1 potato, 1 - 1.5 litres of stock, a 400g tin of diced tomatoes, 400g each of cannellini and borlotti beans, 200g small pasta, 155g frozen peas, 250g green beans, and toasted sourdough. The pesto combines 1 bunch basil, 40g toasted pine nuts, 50g grated parmesan, 80ml olive oil, 1 garlic clove, and a squeeze of lemon juice. The soup can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for three months - presumably to get you through the next time life hands you a metaphorical cold.
Then there's the Greek fasolatha, which Tweed insists is simple and should not be overcomplicated with extra spices or herbs. It calls for 300g dried white beans (or 800g tinned), 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 brown onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 3 garlic cloves, a 400g tin of diced tomatoes, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp sweet paprika, half a bunch of parsley, and 1.25 litres of stock. For extra creaminess, you can mash a few beans against the pot - a technique that is both satisfying and, one imagines, a decent arm workout. Serve with olives, pickled vegetables, and a hunk of sourdough 'for the full Greek experience'.
Finally, Tweed offers avgolemono, the Greek cure-all chicken soup featuring a whole chicken (around 1.6 kg), 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 quartered onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 tbsp chicken stock powder, 165g short-grain rice, 3 eggs, juice of 2 lemons, and fresh dill and parsley. The egg-lemon mixture is whisked into the hot broth off the heat to avoid scrambling - because nothing ruins a restorative soup quite like unintended omelette. Shredded chicken is then added and warmed gently without boiling. 'You can load it with vegetables,' Tweed notes, 'but sometimes when you truly feel under the weather, just keep it super basic.' Sound advice from someone who clearly understands that when you're sick, the last thing you want is a complicated recipe.
'Tender' is available now through Murdoch Books for AU$39.99, which is roughly the price of three takeout soups but will last you all winter.