Salt cod soup with spring vegetables

Categories: May, Soup

Ingredients

• 400g salt cod, soaked in lots of cold water for 24 hours
• 2 bay leaves
• bouquet garni
• large glass of white wine
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, finely chopped, plus a few celery leaves, to garnish
• 2 red chillies, halved, seeded and chopped
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 bunch of thin sprue (young) asparagus
• 2 large handfuls of freshly shelled broad beans

Directions

1. Drain the salt cod and place it in a saucepan of fresh water with the bay leaves, the bouquet garni and white wine. Bring to the boil then simmer for about 20 minutes.

2. ile the cod is cooking, gently sweat the onion, celery and chilli in a little olive oil until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes or so. Pour in 1.2 litres of water, bring to the boil then add the asparagus and broad beans.

3. Drain the cooked cod, reserving the bouquet garni. Remove any skin from the cod and flake into large chunks – discarding any bones. Add to the pot with the reserved bouquet garni and some freshly ground black pepper then simmer on the hob for a further 10 minutes.

4. Serve the salt cod soup in large bowls with a few torn up celery leaves and a good splash of extra-virgin olive oil.

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