Happy New Year!
Welcome to the year of 2013.. another year older soon, I mean how fast did 2012 swing by right? Onwards and upwards, more exciting Mauritian inspired pop ups, suppers, private events, writing, eating and wait MORE eating.. plus a few food trips here and there! 
So did everyone have a great holiday? I made a delicious spread for family and friends New Years Eve of a Southern American Feast.. with what I here you say? Well a traditional Hoppin John (ham hock cooked in black beans, infused with bay leaves, garlic, onion chunks and chipolte chilli-my addition) this with homemade cornbread to dunk in. Not forgetting Piri Piri Chicken, Rice and Jamie Oliver’s good ol’ Mac n Cheese!
It was a hardy feast not for the faint hearted, I’m surprised it didn’t induce a food coma among guests! Finished off with my Elderflower, Prosecco and Berry Jellies with Homemade NO churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream!
After eating all of that you can’t blam a girl for trying to be semi-healthy first couple of weeks of January, so I got out my broad bean hat on and created a quick, super easy and healthy soup to bring in the New Year. With added chunks of feta, swirl of yoghurt and flecked fresh mint to bring the life to this soup.
Broad Bean, Mint, Feta Soup
Ingredients (adapted from BBC Good Food website)![IMG_2024]()
- 1 onion, chopped
- 350g shelled broad beans (about 1.3kg/3lb before podding) or a Can of Broad Beans will do
- 1l chicken or vegetable stock , plus about 100ml/3½oz more of needed
- 100g shelled peas (about 350g/12oz before podding) or frozen peas
- Feta Cheese to crumble
- Yoghurt (Natural) to drizzle over
- Mint, a washed bunch/handful, chopped
- Olive Oil
- Fry the onion with a little olive oil for about 10 minutes until very tender. Now add the broad beans, pour in 1 litre/13⁄4 pints stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, simmer for about 5 minutes, then tip in the peas and cook for a further 5 minutes
- Add the chopped mint and then purée the soup in batches in a blender or food processor, then return to the rinsed-out pan. (If you’ve got a hand blender, use it in the pan.)
- Shortly before serving, reheat the soup thoroughly and add more stock if the consistency is too thick for your liking. Take the pan off the heat and stir in 1 tbsp of the yogurt, crumble in some feta and scatter some chopped mint.Taste for seasoning, then serve in warmed bowls with an extra spoonful of yogurt stirred into each and a grinding of black pepper on top.
Voila! Enjoy x
