Cooking for Friends - Gordon Ramsay

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to the pan and place over low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, then slowly stir in the cheese to melt. Loosen the consistency with a little hot water if the soup is too thick, and taste and adjust the seasoning.

       Roast chestnut, parsnip and apple soup

       The subtle nutty flavour of chestnuts is paired with sweet apples and parsnips in this creamy soup. I love this earthy combination of flavours, and the soup makes for an easy lunch when served with cheddar on toast. Save time by using a packet of vacuum-packed chestnuts, or at Christmas, use up any leftover roasted chestnuts.

      SERVES 4 AS A STARTER

       20g butter

       2 medium parsnips,

       chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 apples, peeled, cored

       and chopped 250g roasted chestnuts,

       shelled, skinned and

       roughly chopped 600ml hot chicken or

       vegetable stock

       (see pages 258-9) few tbsp single cream,

       to serve

      Melt the butter in a wide pan and add the parsnips, celery and a little seasoning. Stir over high heat for 4-6 minutes until the vegetables are lightly golden. Tip in the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 4-5 minutes until the apples are soft.

      Add the chestnuts, pour in the stock to cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat. Use a hand-held stick blender or a regular blender to liquidize the soup to a smooth and creamy purée.

      Return the soup to the pan, and taste and adjust the seasoning. If you prefer the soup thinner, loosen the consistency with a splash of boiling water. Reheat gently just before serving. Serve in warm bowls with swirls of cream.

       Asparagus velouté

       The delicate flavour of asparagus comes through in this smooth and velvety soup. At the restaurant, we would use asparagus trimmings to make the velouté, reserving all the young, tender spears for salads and for garnishes. You could do the same, using a mixture of older stalks and any peelings you have. The soup can be served hot or well chilled.

      SERVES 4 AS A STARTER

       2 large bunches of asparagus (about 800g) 1½ tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle 30g butter

       1 medium onion, chopped 1 celery stalk, chopped

       stripped leaves from a sprig of thyme about 700ml hot chicken or vegetable stock

       (see pages 258-9) squeeze of lemon juice (optional) 150ml double cream

      Pick out 12 of the most attractive asparagus spears and cut off the tips to use for garnish. Roughly chop the rest and set aside.

      Heat the oil and half the butter in a large pan. Add the onion, celery and some seasoning and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the chopped asparagus and thyme, and stir over high heat for another 3-4 minutes until the asparagus is tender but still vibrant green. Pour in just enough stock to cover, and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

      Blend the soup in 2 batches while it is still hot: place half the vegetables in a blender using a slotted spoon, add 1 or 2 ladles of hot stock and blend well. Push the resulting purée through a fine sieve, pressing down hard with the back of a ladle. Discard the pulp and repeat with the remaining soup. Gradually add more hot stock to the strained purée until you get a creamy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a little lemon juice if you like, and erring towards the side of over-seasoning if you intend to serve the soup cold.

      When ready to serve, add the cream and gently reheat until it just comes to a simmer. Meanwhile, sauté the asparagus tips with the remaining butter and some seasoning in a hot frying pan. Add a splash of water and cover the pan. Let the asparagus steam for 2-3 minutes until just tender.

      Pour the soup into warm bowls and garnish with the asparagus tips. Drizzle over a little olive oil and serve immediately.

       Alnwick soup

       I’ve used the core ingredients of the classic Alnwick stew to make this hearty soup. The broth is light and flavourful, and at the same time, the chunks of ham and vegetables are nourishing and satisfying. Eat with rye or seeded bread. Comfort in a bowl.

      SERVES 4-6

       Broth:

       2 smoked ham hocks, about 750g

       1 large onion, roughly chopped

       2 large carrots, roughly chopped

       2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

       1 bay leaf

       few sprigs of thyme ½ tsp black peppercorns

       To finish:

       2 large onions, roughly chopped

       2 large waxy potatoes, cut into bite-size chunks

       2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

       few sprigs of thyme

       generous handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped

      Cut off the rind and excess fat from the ham hocks, then place in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Pour off the water and the scum on top.

      Add the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns to the pot to join the ham hocks. Cover with fresh water and bring to a simmer. Gently cook for about 2½-3 hours until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. Turn the hocks around halfway through to ensure even cooking. When ready, leave the hocks to cool in the liquid.

      Remove the ham hocks to a large bowl with a pair of tongs. Pull the meat off the bone and tear into bite-size chunks. Strain the stock into a clean saucepan and discard the vegetables, herbs and peppercorns. Add the onions, potatoes, celery and thyme to the strained stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Add the ham pieces and simmer for another 10 minutes to warm through. Ladle into warm soup bowls and sprinkle with parsley to serve.

       Broccoli,

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