John's Winter Vegetable Soup

This is a modernised version of what every Scotsman's granny called Tattie Soup. The quantities of veg and choice of veg can be varied to taste - I regard leek onion potato and carrot as essential I always add swede (yellow turnip) as well. I have used left over cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower as well just use any you have.

I watch sodium very carefully and have looked long and hard at all the stock/bouillon cubes/pastes and have at last found one with a reasonable sodium level - see below - but if you aren't watching sodium use any you like or make your own from a chicken carcass (even better)

Ingredients (weights all aaprox peeled weight) server 4 - 6 at < 100 cals per serving

8 oz potatoes peeled and chunked
8 oz carrots peeled and sliced
6 oz swede chunked
1 med leek sliced
1 med onion sliced
0.5 tsp white pepper
1 dried birdseye chilli
stock made to 1 litre
1 bouquet garni
bay leaf
1 tsp sugar
1 tbs good oil olive or groundnut

Method
Heat the oil in large pan and add the leek and onion fry gently on medium heat for a couple of minutes till they just begin to soften then throw in all the other veg and put a lid on, turn the heat right down and let the veg sweat for 10 mins stirring occasionally.
Add stock and herbs and seasonings bring to a steady simmer cover and leave to cook till all veg soft (30 - 40 minutes) add more boiling water if required and skim any frothy gunge.

Finishing
If you want chunky soup then chop the veg initially to a fairly even small dice. I like it smooth so I use a blender (remove bouquet garni) or for a medium texture just use a potato masher to break down the lumps.

I used Heinz Organic Chicken Stock Cubes that give me a litre of stock for 200 mg sodium - I also have in front of me Knorr Stock Pots - the trendy jellied pots that would give me a litre with an astonishing 4500 mg of sodium!