White soup recipe

A light, healthy white soup that lifts up your mood is Clear White Soup. A nutritious soupy broth prepared with tasty meat mildly spiced with ginger, garlic, green chilli masala and cumin. 

Milk is added to achieve a creamy flavour. Once ready, you can relish it hot garnished with mint leaves.

Ingredients

900g veal or beef bones (from butcher’s shops), chopped

1 small free-range chicken

400g piece British free-range unsmoked bacon, cut into chunks

6 black peppercorns

Bouquet garni (or a bundle of fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley, bay leaf, marjoram)

Pared zest ½ lemon

1 large onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

3 mace blades

To thicken:

125g blanched almonds

600ml double cream

1 thick stale bread slice, whizzed into breadcrumbs

Lemon zest strip

1 mace blade, crushed to a powder

Method

Put the bones, whole chicken and bacon chunks into a large pan, then add the peppercorns, herbs, lemon zest, onion, celery and mace. Cover with water, then bring to a boil, skimming off any scum. reduce the heat, then simmer very gently for 2½ hours.

 Remove the chicken and set aside, then strain the stock through a fine sieve (discard flavourings) and cool (overnight if possible). When cool, skim off the fat, then return about 700ml stock to a clean pan and heat gently. 

Pound the almonds in a pestle and mortar with 2 tbsp cold water to make a coarse paste (or pulse in a small food processor). Put the cream in a pan and add the almonds, bread, lemon zest and powdered mace. Bring to the boil, simmer for 1-2 minutes, then add to the pan of stock. 

Simmer for 2 minutes, then strain again, pressing with the back of a spoon.

 Shred the meat from the reserved chicken, then add to the soup to warm through.

 Serve simply, with a little bread if you like.