Paul's [recipe] Corner

This is from Episode one of The Food Trail Tasmania

Olive oil
1 tbsp Flora Pro Active or butter
1 large leek or 2 small ones topped and tailed (use white part) sliced
3 sticks of celery peeled and chopped
2 med – large carrots peeled and chopped
1 medium sized turnip peeled and chopped
1 medium or 2 small parsnips peeled and chopped
1 medium Swede peeled and chopped
3 med or 2 large potatoes peeled and chopped
10 cups of chicken stock
1 440g cans of chopped tomatoes
1 Bouquet garni
3 bay leaves
Half a bunch of silver beet washed and finely sliced/shredded - leaves only

Heat oil and flora in tall casserole pan and add leeks. Stir to coat well and then cook over gentle heat stirring often until they have softened and become translucent. The longer you cook them the more sweetness you get from them – which is good. You can brown them a little if you want. Add carrot and celery and mix thoroughly through the leeks and cook for a few minutes then add turnip, parsnip, swede and potato and again mix thoroughly and cook for about 5 minutes stirring often. I do this on a highish heat as I like to almost seal the veggies a little. Add stock or if using the Massel powder boil some water and add one tsp of powder for every 2 cups of water – in this instance 5 tsp for 10 cups or 2.5 litres of water. Stir the stock through the veggies and bring to a boil and then add tomatoes, bouquet garni and bay leaves. Give it all a mix and then let simmer away until veggies are cooked to your liking. Add the silver beet about 15 minutes after the soup started to simmer. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper if needed. Serve in big bowls with crunchy bread if you want and garnish with some grated parmesan cheese.

If you want you can add about 300g of chicken mince. Just brown it off in a pan first and then add it to the soup about ten minutes before serving.