Bowl 'em over

Cold winter day, home on a Saturday, time to spare. It's a perfect opportunity to make a soup for lunch that will warm you to your toes. When I think hearty winter soup, it's hard to go past these core items: potatoes, smoked pork pieces, earthy seasonal vegetables, dried beans and pulses.

Both these soups are quick and easy to make. I found the Paul Bocuse recipe on a video in the library. It was fantastic, with Paul speaking French and standing in an amazing kitchen with blue and white chequered tiles.

As this recipe demonstrates, when the tempting flavours of slow-cooked leek are combined with the earthiness of good-quality potatoes, you don't need to add much more to your saucepan – just a bit of salt and some creme fraiche.

I use dukkah to finish this soup. When this Middle Eastern spice mix is sprinkled over hot soup, the spices come alive as they warm.

Paul Bocuse's potato and leek soup

4 medium leeks

100g butter

6 large nicola potatoes, peeled and diced

in 3cm pieces

Sea salt

200g creme fraiche

Pistachio dukkah, to serve (see recipe below)

Method

Slice leeks in half, lengthways then finely slice. Wash well.

Melt butter in heavy-based saucepan. Add leek and sweat over low heat, covered. Stir leeks and when they are almost breaking down, add potatoes and cover with about 600 millilitres cold water, add sea salt and bring to a simmer.

When potatoes are cooked, use a whisk to break some up, leaving large and small pieces. Just before serving, stir in creme fraiche. You will probably need to add more salt to bring the flavours alive. Sprinkle with pistachio dukkah.

Pistachio Dukkah

40g sesame seeds

75g pistachio nuts (toasted and chopped)

3 tsp ground coriander

3 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp sea salt

Combine ingredients and sprinkle over soup.

Serves 6

Broccoli and bean soup with pecorino

1 cup dried white beans

1 tbsp olive oil

1 leek, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 red chillies, thinly sliced, seeds removed

2 litres chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup small pasta

80g broccoli or broccolini, cut into

small florets

4 tbsp pecorino cheese

Sourdough bread to serve

Method

Soak beans in water overnight, then drain.

Heat olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat; add leek, garlic, chillies and saute for 10 minutes or until soft. Season to taste.

Add beans and stock, bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until beans are tender. Add pasta, cook 5minutes, then add broccoli and cook for a further 5 minutes or until pasta is al dente and broccoli is tender.

Check seasoning, spoon into bowls and sprinkle cheese over each serve.

Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil, then grill sourdough bread and rub with raw garlic; serve warm.

Serves 4