This vibrant, satisfying soup is nice for these wanting to chop down on their meat consumption, and ticks the gluten- and dairy-free packing containers, too. It may be cooked on the hob, or within the oven, gradual cooker or stress cooker. Save the liquid from the tin of chickpeas and whip it up right into a deliciously mild chocolate mousse for afters.

Chunky soup

Save the entire vegetable peelings and trimmings, and use them to make the flavourful inventory.

Prep 15 min

Soak 12 hr

Prepare dinner 1 hr 30 min+ (relying on cooking technique)

Serves 4-6

1-2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, peeled and chopped small

2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 stick celery, chopped

1 tbsp combined dried herbs, or 2 tbsp chopped contemporary herbs

Salt and black pepper

800g combined greens (eg carrots, candy potato, leeks, potatoes), all minimize into 2cm cube

½ tsp chilli powder, or 1 tsp scorching chilli sauce or 1 medium contemporary chilli (inexperienced or crimson), finely chopped

100g dried lentils, beans and/or pulses (puy lentils, crimson lentils, inexperienced lentils, yellow cut up peas, inexperienced cut up peas), soaked in 300ml chilly water for 12 hours, then drained

1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and liquid reserved for the chocolate mousse beneath

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes, or passata

800ml vegetable inventory (see technique)

185g frozen peas

First, make the inventory. Put all of the vegetable peelings and trimmings, together with the onion skins, any parsley stalks and the garlic skins, in a big, microwave-proof bowl, pour on 800ml boiling water, cowl, microwave for 10 minutes on excessive, then put aside.

In a big pan, stress cooker or ovenproof casserole, warmth the oil, then fry the onion and garlic on a low warmth for 5 to 10 minutes, till they begin to soften. Stir within the celery and herbs, a hefty pinch every of salt and pepper, and cook dinner for a couple of minutes, to melt. Add all of the diced combined greens, flip the warmth to excessive and fry, stirring recurrently, till they begin to catch and color on the edges.

Add the chilli and the drained lentils and chickpeas, then stir within the tomatoes and inventory. To cook dinner within the oven, cowl with a well-fitting lid and bake at 220C (200C fan)/475F/gasoline 9 for about an hour, or till the greens are tender and the pulses have absorbed a lot of the liquid and thickened the soup. If utilizing a gradual cooker, cook dinner for 5 to 6 hours, till the greens are tender and the soup has thickened; for a stress cooker, cook dinner on excessive for 20 minutes; on the hob, convey to a boil, flip all the way down to a simmer, cowl and cook dinner for 40-50 minutes, till the greens are tender.

Style and modify the seasoning, if crucial, then stir by way of the peas till cooked, and serve in warmed bowls.

Chocolate mousse

Nancy Birtwhistle’s chocolate mousse.

You will want 4 or 5 ramekins, or related, wherein to set the mousse.

Prep 5 min

Prepare dinner 15 min

Chill 1 hr+

Serves 4-5

Strained liquid from 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, about 180ml (see earlier recipe)

½ tsp cream of tartar

45g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g darkish chocolate (or milk, white or vegan), damaged into small items

Sprinkles, to embellish

Put the reserved chickpea water in a bowl, add the cream of tartar and whisk, ideally with a hand-held electrical whisk, till mild, white and standing in comfortable peaks (a lot as egg whites would). Add the icing sugar in two components, whisking nicely between every addition, then whisk within the vanilla.

Put the chocolate in a microwave-proof bowl, then microwave on excessive in two 30-second bursts, till it’s absolutely melted; stir to assist it alongside.

Stir a spoonful of the mousse combine into the melted chocolate to loosen it, then pour the lot into the mousse bowl and whisk to mix.

Divide the combo between ramekins, small bowls or serving glasses, then faucet every one on a piece floor to clean them out and launch any air pockets. Prime with a number of sprinkles to embellish, then chill for an hour or two, till absolutely set.