Courgette Soup

Attention passengers. We’ll be making our decent into London Heathrow Airport now. Please fasten your…

The remainder of the message went unheard, as I was lost in my own thoughts, forehead pressed urgently to the little plastic oval portal, taking in the view, suddenly so grateful, so overcome.

As we emerged from the clouds, I could see the sunset at the horizon, all brilliant reds, oranges and purples. Frost clung to the window pane. Beneath me, a darkened city, decorated by thousands of little twinkling lights.

This is my new home. I live here now.

I’ve always had an odd concept of home, having been shuttled from house to house in my formative years. The idea of picking up and moving several thousand miles across an ocean, to a school and a country where I barely know anyone might seem a bit daft. Reckless even.

But that’s me. Always one for an adventure. Unafraid of the unexplored. So I live here now, while studying at Kingston University. And if I could, I’d never return.

“England? Why would you want to go there? I heard the food is horrible.”

Such was the general reaction from American friends and coworkers. Forgive me, but I’d like to politely object. Actually, I can be impolite if I want – that’s rubbish and you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. Nyahhh.

Perhaps I’ve had a better view of things, living with my British-born stepmum Liz, a fabulous chef in her own right…but it drives me crazy to hear people talk about food that way. I dare you to tell Gordon Ramsey his cooking is terrible. Try reading the books of Delia Smith, Nigel Slater or Jaime Oliver without getting hungry. And don’t even get me started on Nigella. That woman just exudes sex appeal in the kitchen. She leaves me ravenous.

While many years ago British cuisine may have been insular or even bland, these days it’s much more than just sausage and mash or fish and chips. A new order has arrived, bringing with it fresh, organic, internationally-inspired fare.

The meals I’ve had in England are creative and fresh, though homey  - which is not a bad thing, considering all this rain. All I want right now is soup and potatoes and big mugs of tea.

Shopping for groceries is an interesting affair, especially since I’m working on an extremely limited budget. I was utterly surprised when my first grocery bill totaled £17, even though I filled the cart with veg, dairy and a good deal of regular kitchen staples. Don’t be mistaken – everything is very expensive, but if you are a good shopper you can make out with deals.

I am responsible for cooking for myself and intend to learn from the locals as much as possible – though I am sure that I won’t feel fully at home until I’ve baked something. That’s just the way it is.

The first meal I cooked in England comes from a family recipe; provided by my aunt Julie, a charming woman and fellow vegetarian. In fact, the entire family is vegetarian! They were kind enough to pick me up from the airport and help me get over my jet lag for a few days.

Julie lives in the hilly village of High Wycombe, in a white plaster and brick cottage with her husband, two children and two cats. There are tomato (to-mah-to) plants in the front window, a vegetable garden in the rear and a red Mini Cooper in the drive. It’s a wonderful life, and one that I hope to become acclimated to shortly.

Among the changes in cuisine, she said, include an upswing in vegetarianism and a demand for higher quality and sustainable, local produce.

“Truthfully, the food used to be dreadful,” Julie said to me one night this week while we tuned into my new favorite satirical news program. She recalled her parents only buying olive oil in little vials when she was a child, for medicinal purposes only. There weren’t many spices and food tended to be simple and heavy.

“Once people started to travel to places like the Mediterranean, chefs started to bring back the new foods and ideas. Things have changed quite dramatically for us. Now that we expect more and demand more, we get better quality.”

Julie’s recipe for this simple vegetable soup is perfect for chilly weather and easily whipped up in less than 20 minutes. Courgettes, better known as zucchini in the States, are full of vitamins and readily available in this season.

It is very flavorful without the need for cream or chicken stock; lightly browned butter gives it a warm flavor, while fresh baby vegetables are refreshingly light. And I love the color! We ate this with little nibbles of tomato and carrots from the garden.

Courgette Soup

Serves 3-4 people. Equipment needed: heavy saucepot and an immersion blender. If unavailable a regular blender will do.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 medium potatoes, chopped in ½” cubes

4 baby courgettes (zucchini) or 2 regular-sized, chopped in ½” cubes

2 cups vegetable broth

handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

Directions:

Over a medium flame, melt the butter until just starting to brown and bubble. Add in the finely chopped onion and potato. Toss in the butter until thoroughly coated, then simmer for about eight minutes.

When the onion is nicely golden, add in the courgettes and stir. Slowly pour in vegetable broth and add parsley. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

With an immersion blender, purée the soup until no large chunks remain. It will look nice and creamy. If using a regular blender, purée one cup at a time. Be careful; hot liquid tends to splash out easily!

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with fresh bread and grated white cheddar or parmesan.