A very green soup

Last night I was zapping around (is this the right word? mmm....probably not) the iplayer programs - it's true, we STILL don't have a telly (so what?) - and bumped into GUESS WHO?? Nigella, of course! Or maybe it was my subconscious that drove me towards her kitchen...

I cannot hide my horror at her inspired spaghetti with Marmite....blargh!! And once again she came back with a science-fiction story that Italians recycle the oil/sauce from their Sunday roast to dress their pasta on Monday. I think there must have been some cheeky Italian who took the real piss out of her. NON E' VERO!

And does she really have a fur apron? Well if so, I guess that's just fine....but I suspect there is somebody there who tells her to be provoking and open wide her black eyes at the camera while she ravages her larder, which is probably the size of my living room. Mhmm..

Well, at least I had a nice and healthy soup just before that. It was all a bit green to confess, but if it is your green day then you'll be ok. The original recipe (thank you Ilva for it!) wanted shrimps which I didn't have and couldn't be bother to go to Coop in the rain. So if you want to try it with the shrimps, do and let me know. I added basmati rice on the side.

Leek and Spinach Soup

Makes 2

One medium (length-wise) leek;

3-4 handful of fresh spinach;

a knob of butter;

1 tbsp oil;

200ml vegetable stock;

200ml fresh single cream;

1 bay leaf;

50ml milk.

1. Cut the leek in medium rings and cook them in a deep pan with some butter and a spoon of oil until tender.

2. Make the vegetable stock and pour it onto the leeks. Let simmer for a couple of minutes. Then add the cream and the bay leaf, and simmer for another few minutes.

3. Remove the bay leaf (if you leave in the cream for too long it starts tasting very terrible as it is quite strong), and add the milk to make it creamier.

4. Blitz everything and if necessary pass it through a colander to make it smoother. Add salt to taste and a touch of pepper.

5. Make separately the basmati rice. For 200g rice you need enough water to cover plus a finger above the level. Add to it a couple of knobs of butter, a tsp of salt, few leaves of jasmine tea, a cardamom and a starred anise.

6. Add the spinach to the soup which will only take a minute to wilt with the heat.

7. Pour the soup in the bowl adding in small quantities the rice which has been served separately. The rice functions as a form of bread.

Very filling and warming! The photo was taken half way eating it as I had forgotten. It's not great but just wanted to show you how fantastically green it is!