The Ugly Can Be Beautiful Too...Chorizo Soup

I'm a great believer in being open to what the universe delivers you. This soup happened completely by chance. I had left some old food magazines lying around, and my husband was flipping through one (very odd behaviour from him; our house is full of food magazines and I don't think I have seen him even cast a glance at one). Next thing, he had spotted a soup that I never would have picked, and asked me to make it for him. And I did. And it was sensational.

And the reason I would not have picked it? It is called Sausage, Butter Bean and Cabbage Soup. Not very appealing in my opinion. Maybe better to have been called Spanish Winter Soup or something even more poetic? Anyway, this is a soup that I will make again as it ticked all the boxes for maximum flavour and minimum effort. It came to us via the "Vogue Entertaining Cookbook: Short Order + Seasonal" Autumn / Winter 2001.

"Sausage, Butter Bean and Cabbage Soup"

adapted from "Vogue Entertaining Cookbook: Short Order + Seasonal" Autumn / Winter 2001.

1 large onion, peeled and diced

olive oil

400g sliced chorizo sausage

1/4 whole cabbage, outer leaves discarded, the remainder shredded

2 tbl tomoato paste

1 bay leaf

4 cups chicken stock

400g can butter beans, drained

4 medium tomatoes diced

3-4 tbl finely chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Fry the onion in a little oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until soft. Add the sausage and cook stirring until some of the fat is released. Pour off any excess, add the cabbage, and cook, stirring until it wilts.

Add the tomato paste and the bay leaf, cook over low heat for several minutes, then add the stock. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the beans and tomatoes, season to taste and heat the beans and tomato through. Stir in parsley before serving.