Courgette & Almond soup
From ‘Avoca Soups’

This is a delicious soup – I got the recipe and a bowl from a trader at UL farmers market (Sarah at Chilli loco) – it’s creamy, mild and really tasty.

Ingredients;
50g butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 potato, peeled and chopped
600ml veg stock
3 courgettes, finely chopped
25g ground almonds
125ml double cream, plus extra to serve (could be single if fat conscious…)
125ml milk
Flaked almonds to serve

Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onion and potato and cook over a very low heat for 5 mins. Add the stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 mins or until the potato is cooked. Add the courgettes, bring back to the boil and simmer for 5 mins. As soon as the courgettes are cooked, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the almonds, cream and milk. Puree in a blender, then reheat gently and season to taste. Serve topped with a few toasted flaked almonds and a swirl of cream.

Creamed French beans
From 100 great recipes – Farmers Market
By Jacqueline Bellefontaine

Ingredients
250g green beans (French or runner)
100ml double or soured cream
1-2 cloves garlic – crushed
½ tsp fresh thyme – chopped
Salt/pepper

1.    Top the beans and tail if required. Cook in lightly salt6ed boiling water for about 10 mins until just tender.
2.    Place the cream, garlic and thyme in a small saucepan and heat. Simmer gently for 5 mins.
3.    Drain the beans and place in a warm serving dish.
4.    Pour over the garlic cream and season. Toss to combine and serve.

Tomato salsa

1 chilli
450g tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil

Chop the chilli very finely and place in a bowl. Add the seeded and chopped tomatoes, chopped spring onions, parsley and coriander, lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well. Refrigerate and serve cold. Use within 3 days.

Tomato & roasted pepper soup
From ‘Avoca Soups’

1 onion – peeled & chopped
4 tbsps olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled & finely chopped
750ml veg or chicken stock
400g tomatoes
Sprig thyme
1 tsp tomato puree
Pinch ground cinnamon
2 red peppers, roasted and roughly chopped
1tsp lime (or lemon) juice

The secret of this recipe is in the roasted peppers. This brings out their natural sweetness which gives this soup its extra depth of flavour.

Saute the onion in the olive oil for about 10 mins, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Then add the stock, tomatoes, thyme, tomato puree, cinnamon and simmer for 20 mins.
Stir in the roasted peppers and then puree the soup in a blender. Reheat gently, add the juice to taste and check seasoning.