Warmer weather inevitably means lighter food so lately I find that I have been returning back to the basics and this has introduced some new soups into our menu. My roasted vegetables and chicken soup is fairly straight forward to prepare, it just takes a little bit more time but I hope you will give it a go.

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs
• 2 litres of water
• 150ml double cream
• 1.5kg of good quality tomatoes
• 3 large bell peppers
• 3 medium size onions
• 2 carrots
• 1 parsnip
• 1 small leak
• Handful of fresh basil
• Large bunch of fresh coriander
• 10 whole pepper corns
• 2 bay leaves
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1/2tsp all spice
• Salt
• Pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Wash and peel (where needed) all veggies. Cut tomatoes in to halves or quarters (size depending), quarter the peppers and onions and then finely chop the basil and coriander.

In a large pot place the chicken thighs, carrots, parsnip and leak; all 2 litres of water (filtered if possible), whole pepper corns, bay leaves, all spice plus 1tsp of salt and set to medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil and leave cooking for 45 minutes.

In a large roasting tin place tomatoes, peppers and onions. Drizzle with olive oil, add ½ tsp of salt and ½ tsp of fresh ground black pepper, sprinkle with chopped basil and gently mix so all vegetables are well coated.

Roast in earlier preheated oven for 30 minutes, turning them over gently every 10 min.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

By this time your “stock” should be ready.

Remove it from the heat, using a sieve separate all solids from the liquid.

Return the saved liquid back into your cooking pot ready for adding the roasted veggies and chicken and place on a low heat to stay simmering.

Once your roasted vegetables and chicken are cool, cut them into desired chunk sizes and place into your cooking pot. (I normally don’t return any of the carrots, parsnips or leeks back into this soup, but I do have dogs which will eat everything left over with pleasure but if you wish you can chop them up too and add back into the final creation.)

Bring back to a boil, add coriander and cook for a further 15 minutes.

When the time is up slowly add the double cream stirring all the time and when done you are ready to eat!

Have fun and enjoy if you do decide to make it!