five! four! three! two! one! blast off for delicious rocket soup!

rocket soup

If this rocket soup had a soundtrack it would be more Barney the Dinosaur than Goldfrapp, but nonetheless it is the perfect summer soup. It is very easy to make and not in the least sophisticated - light but intensely savoury with a hint of pepper. 

This soup was topped with a few crunchy croutons I had made with some stale sourdough bread and some oil that had been used to fry up some chorizo - heavily infused with paprika and garlic. Heavenly.

Serves 4
Skill level: Easy

ingredients:
olive oil
1 x English onion (or 2 x shallots), chopped
2 x garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 x large potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 litre vegetable stock or water
200g rocket (preferably wild rocket)
a splash of white wine
a splash of cream or milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper

directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy based sauce pan and gently fry the onions over a medium heat for about 10 minutes until soft.
2. Add the garlic and potatoes and continue to cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the vegetable stock and wine, and then bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes have softened and are tender.
4. Add all but a few leaves (to garnish) of the rocket. Stir through then set aside to cool for a short time before blending. (Do not try to blend when hot, as this can be dangerous, particularly if using a jug blender. A combination of hot soup, a build-up of steam and vibration, can cause the hot liquid to explode out of the blender. Safer to let it cool a little!)
5. Whizz the soup in a blender until smooth. You can at this point also put through a sieve if you want to ensure a very smooth and silky soup.
6. Return to the pan to warm through and season to taste.
7. Serve topped with a little fresh rocket and a swirl of cream.

tip:

• Equally nice served cold.