Broccoli & Almond Soup

by James Martin

"I made this soup while filming in York.  It’s a nice twist to an old English favourite, almond soup.  The vegetables came from a man called John Mannion, who is an old friend of the family.  I remember going to his stall in York Market (and his shop nearby) as a kid with my Gran and watching her squeeze all the fruit first before buying them. What’s great now is that most of the market stalls are selling a mixture of new fruit and veg with traditional.  I wonder what my Gran would have thought of garlic and ginger grown in Yorkshire!  Probably nothing, as they were never her thing, but she could make a great broccoli soup, and this is as near as I can get to it".

From James Martin’s Easy British Food 

Published by Mitchell Beazley

Photographed by Jean Cazals

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 25g (1oz) butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 large white onion, peeled and diced
• 225g (8oz) potato, peeled and diced
• 75ml (2½ fl oz) white wine
• 700ml (1¼ pints) vegetable stock
• 2 heads broccoli, cut into small florets
• 150ml (5fl oz) double cream
• 85g (3oz) flaked almonds, toasted
• 2-3 sprigs fresh parsley, finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat a large saucepan and add the butter.  Once foaming, add the garlic and onion, and sweat without colouring for a few minutes.  Next add the potato, white wine and stock.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes to get the potato cooking.
2. Add the broccoli to the pan and continue to cook for a further 6-8 minutes.  Add the cream, half the almonds and all the parsley.  Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. Blend in a food processor, then return the liquid to the pan.  Bring to the boil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. To serve, spoon the soup into bowls or mugs and top with the remaining toasted almonds and/or a little partly whipped double cream.