Classic vegetable soup.

What the Spanish really cook at home | Life and style | The Observer:
Simone and Inés Ortega's classic vegetable soup

Serves 6
4 tbs olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
100g Serrano ham, diced
6 lettuce leaves, shredded
1 tbs plain flour
500g carrots, diced
750g small, young globe artichokes
1 lemon, halved
2 turnips, diced
500g green beans, trimmed and cut into short lengths
1kg peas, shelled
salt


Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the ham and lettuce and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the flour. Add the carrot and pour in enough water to cover. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, remove and discard the tough outer leaves of the artichokes and cut off the tops of the remaining leaves. Cut the artichokes lengthways into halves or quarters, depending on their size, and remove the chokes with a teaspoon. Rub the artichokes all over with the lemon halves to prevent them turning black.

Add the artichokes, turnip, beans, peas and a pinch of salt to the pan.Simmer over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but not falling apart.

If the soup is too liquid, remove some of the stock before serving. Garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg, if you like. Note: This is a very flexible recipe; you can use different seasonal vegetables.

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