Green soup

serves 4
ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
200g/7oz potato, cut into
2.5cm/1in cubes
700ml/11⁄4pt vegetable stock
1 small cucumber, cut into chunks
75g/3oz watercress
100g/4oz green beans, trimmed
and halved
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Sweat the onion and garlic for 3–4 minutes
until softened. Add the potato and cook for a further 2–3 minutes.
• Stir in the stock, bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the cucumber to the saucepan, and cook for a further 3 minutes or
until the potatoes are tender.
• Add the watercress and allow to wilt, then transfer the mixture to a
blender or food processor and purée until smooth.
• Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Cook the beans for 3–4 minutes
until tender. Add the beans to the soup, season and warm through.