The weather is getting cooler and the nights are drawing in. At this time of year I find myself immediately thinking of soups. Not the thin tastless ready prepared stuff that you can buy but real soups and broths which can almost be meals on their own. Here is a recipe from Ireland for Leek Broth.

BROTCHÁN ROY
1lb leeks.
1pt vegetable stock.
½oz butter.
1tbs flake oatmeal.
pinch of mace, salt and pepper.
1dsp chopped parsley.
cream.
Wash the leeks thoroughly and cut them into chunks about 1” long, leaving a certain amount of green on. Drain them. Heat up the stock and butter and when it is boiling stir in the oatmeal. Let it bubble and then add the chopped leeks. Add the seasoning, but if you have used a commercial stock cube rather than home made omit the salt. Simmer gently for 45 minutes. Add the chopped parsley and boil for a further few minutes. Add a little cream last of all but do not let it boil after this has been added. In the spring you can make Nettle Brotchán as an alternative. Simply substitute ½pt of chopped young nettle tops for the leeks. Sorrel makes good soup, this receipt is dated 1879.

SORREL SOUP
3oz butter
1tbs flour
1lb sorrel
1 large onion
2quarts boiling water
2tbs breadcrumbs
salt and pepper
2 egg yolks
a little cream
Chop the sorrel. Put the flour and butter in pan, add the chopped sorrel and fry gently for ten minutes. Add the boiling water, breadcrumbs, and season to taste. Simmer for an hour. Beat up the egg yolks with the cream in the serving tureen and pour the soup over it, stirring gently whilst pouring. Another vegetable soup now, but quite a different one.

CRÈME DE CONCOMBRES
1½pts vegetable stock
1 large cucumber
1tsp chopped shallot
1oz butter
¾oz flour
2 egg yolks
½gill cream
liquid green colouring (optional)
Salt and pepper
freshly grated cucumber
finely chopped mint
Boil up the stock and add the cucumber, peeled and cut in ½in slices, and chopped shallot. Simmer gently until the cucumber is soft (15-20 minutes) and rub through a sieve. Lightly fry the flour in the butter and add the sieved cucumber and stock mixture. Stir whilst bringing to the boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Let the soup cool a little, beat up the egg yolks and cream and add to the soup and stir in gently. At this point you can add the food colouring if you must and the seasoning. Use the grated cucumber and mint as garnish. Now for the carnivores amongst us. Shrimps or pieces of lobster may be substituted for the prawns. Again this is an old receipt, this time from 1890.

GUMBO SOUP À LA CRÉOLE
2oz butter
1lb diced good steak
½lb ham
pieces of cooked chicken
2tbs cooked tomato
2 large onions
thyme, parsley, bayleaf
salt and pepper
3pts stock
½pt shrimps
Melt the butter and fry the diced steak until brown. Add the ham, chicken, tomatoes, sliced onions, herbs and seasoning. Cover with the stock and cook very gently for about 2 hours. 10 minutes before serving add the prawns. This soup may be served with plain boiled rice, in which it can become a main course. Another possibility is to include about 4oz of Okra to the dish. If that lot is a bit too much for you here is a simple peasant broth, again vegetarian, this time from France.

POTAGE FERMIÈRE
3 carrots
3 onions
3 turnips
3 leeks
6 potatoes
1½oz butter
1 quart boiling water
salt and pepper
2 heaped tbs chopped mixed herbs
Dice all the vegetables except the potatoes which slice. Sweat the diced vegetables in the butter over a very gentle heat for 20-30 minutes until softened. Add the boiling water and cook until the carrots are tender, then add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes. Season, pour into a tureen and sprinkle surface with the chopped herbs.

Finally here is a receipt for a good vegetable stock, far superior than anything you can make with bought in cubes.

VEGETABLE BOUILLON
½oz butter
1lb carrots
1lb onions
½ head of celery
small piece of turnip
Bouquet garni
6 peppercorns
1dsp salt
3 quarts hot water
Melt the butter in a large pan. Peel and wash the vegetables, dry and slice into large pieces add to the butter and brown gently. Add salt, peppercorns, bouquet and hot water. Bring to the boil, half cover the pan and simmer for about three hours. It should reduce by one-third. Strain and when cold remove any remaining fat.