A winter soup

A winter soup. Photograph: Harry Weir
A winter soup. Photograph: Harry Weir
Serves: 6
Course: Starter
Cooking Time: 0 hr 45 mins

Ingredients

  • 80g butter
  • 1 onion, peeled and sliced
  • 1 small leek, sliced
  • 125g packet smoked bacon lardons
  • 3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and shredded
  • Some fresh thyme and bay leaf
  • 800g mixed root vegetables, such as carrot, parsnip, turnip, celeriac, Jerusalem artichoke, potatoes
  • 50g barley
  • 1l chicken or vegetable stock
  • Salt and pepper
  • FOR THE HORSERADISH CREAM:
  • 150ml cream
  • 1tsp horseradish sauce
  • 1tbs chopped chives

1 Put the butter in a pot with the onion, leek, bacon, ginger, thyme and bay.

2 Cover and cook over a gentle heat for 15 minutes.

3 Meanwhile peel and cut your chosen vegetables into bite-size even pieces, then add to the pot along with the barley.

4 Cover and cook gently for 15 minutes, until everything starts to soften.

5 Add the stock, then bring to a simmer.

6 Cook for 15 minutes or so, but don’t let the vegetables go mushy, then season with salt and pepper.

7 For the horseradish cream, whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold in the horseradish and chives.

8 Serve the soup with a spoonful of the horseradish cream floating on top.

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. He and his wife, Máire, run the Tannery restaurant and cookery school in Dungarvan, Co Waterford