Gordon Ramsay - Cooking for Friends

I fell in love with chowders when I spent a few months filming in America. We tasted amazing New England clam chowders on the East Coast. In San Francisco, one of the main treats was sourdough bread bowls filled with thick bisques and creamy soups. Once you’ve devoured the soup, you’re left with a flavourful bread bowl to break apart and savour. Whether you’re making an elegant blended soup or a more homely chowder, always start with a good base. Good-quality stock provides a depth of flavour that brings together all the elements in a soup. It is also important to season well.

Chilled cucumber soup

Curried cauliflower and cheddar soup

Roast chestnut, parsnip and apple soup

Asparagus velouté

Alnwick soup

Broccoli, stilton and pear soup Conger eel bisque Italian-style turnip soup Cornish crab soup Oxtail soup

Shropshire summer soup Crayfish chowder

Jacket potato soup with sour cream Creamy sorrel soup

Nothing beats a chilled cucumber soup on a hot, balmy day: it cools the body and whets the appetite. I find a little horseradish cream brings the soup alive, but you can leave it out to keep the flavours subtle and light.

3 long cucumbers, about 650g each, straight from the refrigerator

lemon juice, to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

handful of dill, leaves roughly chopped, plus few fronds to garnish

500ml natural yoghurt

1-2 tbsp horseradish cream, or to taste

Peel the cucumbers and cut 2 lengthways into quarters. Slice off the seedy core from each quarter, then chop into dice. Put into a large bowl and set aside.

Peel the remaining cucumber into long thin ribbons using a swivel vegetable peeler. (Cut the ribbons in half if you find them too long.) Place in another bowl and toss with a little lemon juice, the olive oil, chopped dill, and salt and pepper. Cover with cling film and chill until ready to serve.

Put half the yoghurt, a pinch of salt and pepper and half the chopped cucumber into a blender. Whiz to a smooth purée. Press the purée through a fine sieve, pushing down hard with the back of a ladle. Discard the cucumber pulp in the sieve. Repeat the process with the remaining chopped cucumber and yoghurt. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the cucumber purée, adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of horseradish cream or a squeeze of lemon juice, as desired. Cover with cling film and chill if not serving immediately.

To serve, pour the cold soup into chilled bowls and garnish with the dressed cucumber ribbons and dill fronds.

A little curry powder and saffron elevate the classic combination of cauliflower and cheese to another dimension in this soup. It is ideal as a winter warmer, as well as a comforting and welcoming treat for Bonfire Night. Delicious served with warm Indian bread or cheddar on toast.

4 tbsp olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1 tsp mild curry powder

pinch of saffron strands

300ml hot chicken or vegetable stock (see pages 258-9) 300ml milk

100g medium or strong cheddar, grated

Heat half the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions and celery. Stir over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are beginning to soften. Add the remaining oil, cauliflower florets, curry powder and saffron, and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes. Cover the pan and cook for another 4-5 minutes, lifting the lid to give the mixture a stir every now and then.

Remove the lid and pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then pour in the milk, adding a splash of water if the liquid does not cover the vegetables. Return to a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes until the cauliflower is very soft.

Use a hand-held stick blender to liquidize the soup, or blend the soup in 2 batches if using a regular blender. Return the soup to the pan and place over low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, then slowly stir in the cheese to melt. Loosen the consistency with a little hot water if the soup is too thick, and taste and adjust the seasoning.

The subtle nutty flavour of chestnuts is paired with sweet apples and parsnips in this creamy soup. I love this earthy combination of flavours, and the soup makes for an easy lunch when served with cheddar on toast. Save time by using a packet of vacuum-packed chestnuts, or at Christmas, use up any leftover roasted chestnuts.

20g butter

2 medium parsnips,

chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 apples, peeled, cored

and chopped 250g roasted chestnuts,

shelled, skinned and

roughly chopped 600ml hot chicken or

vegetable stock

(see pages 258-9) few tbsp single cream,

to serve

Melt the butter in a wide pan and add the parsnips, celery and a little seasoning. Stir over high heat for 4-6 minutes until the vegetables are lightly golden. Tip in the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 4-5 minutes until the apples are soft.

Add the chestnuts, pour in the stock to cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat. Use a hand-held stick blender or a regular blender to liquidize the soup to a smooth and creamy purée.

Return the soup to the pan, and taste and adjust the seasoning. If you prefer the soup thinner, loosen the consistency with a splash of boiling water. Reheat gently just before serving. Serve in warm bowls with swirls of cream.

The delicate flavour of asparagus comes through in this smooth and velvety soup. At the restaurant, we would use asparagus trimmings to make the velouté, reserving all the young, tender spears for salads and for garnishes. You could do the same, using a mixture of older stalks and any peelings you have. The soup can be served hot or well chilled.

2 large bunches of asparagus (about 800g) 1½ tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle 30g butter

1 medium onion, chopped 1 celery stalk, chopped

stripped leaves from a sprig of thyme about 700ml hot chicken or vegetable stock

(see pages 258-9) squeeze of lemon juice (optional) 150ml double cream

Pick out 12 of the most attractive asparagus spears and cut off the tips to use for garnish. Roughly chop the rest and set aside.