Lettuce Soup

Lettuce Soup? I've not gone mad. Let me explain...

I hate wasting food - particularly my dads lovely home grown lettuce. He gave me an abundance of little gem lettuce which I needed to use before our holiday, hence I've been making lettuce soup. It's very quick, simple, light and surprisingly tasty served cold. It also freezes well. Have a mug alongside your sandwich, chilled in the summer, hot in the winter. Add some fried leeks, butter beans and cooked cubed chorizo to turn it into a hearty stew.

Lettuce Soup: Serves 4:

Time: 5 mins prep + 5 mins cooking
Cost: 40p per serving*
Calories: 56 per serving*

*Using two little gem lettuces without cream

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Around 250g lettuce (about 2 little gems or one large lettuce)
• 1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock
• Small handful of fresh herbs, e.g. mint, basil (optional)
• 2 tablespoons double cream (optional)

1. Heat your oil in a saucepan and fry the onion until soft for around 4 minutes. Add the garlic, lettuce, stock and herbs if using, and cook for a further 4 minutes until the lettuce is soft. 
2. Blitz with a hand blender until smooth over a low heat. Stir through a little cream if you like and serve topped with some basil leaves to make it look pretty.

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