Soulful Soup, Hearth and Home

This is us! A diverse, pickled family created by the twin sisters shown in the above image. Our family was the strict church-going kind, rather sombre and serious, except when something tickled my mother's fancy and she burst forth with rapturous, melodious laughter. Or, somehow, us children managed with our bizarre humour and school story-telling to get Dad laughing until tears ran down his face. Those moments were gold, especially on the rare occasion they happened at the dinner table.

Contrastingly, the family of my mother's twin sister, were rather a rambunctious lot, wild and free, naughty and "wicked", quite the paradox to ours. It was with great relief and frivolity that we loved mixing as family, much like adding hot to cold, spice to bland, creating a more hearty, appetizing and balanced bunch.

It was on these occasions my soul sang and my spirit soared, especially encouraged by my Auntie's warm, spirited nature. She was like a warm, nurturing blanket on a cold day, her home open to one and all, always graced with glorious food and a hearth lit with fire, every day if she could.

In our home though, the simmering, sturdy combustion stove was the warmth and means of many a homemade loaf of bread, patties, baked potatoes, soups and scones. The Sunday night tradition (I do not know how or when it started) was Mum's concoction, and perhaps her simple alleviation from the weekly, arduous duty of daily cooked dinners, to make the "famous soup and scones" meal.

As the years rolled by, siblings and cousins grew up, baring their own families who were separated by distance throughout interstate Australia. It was then that gatherings of celebration often became the impetus for all to reunite, to joke, reminisce of younger times, update, reconnect heart and soul, and most importantly, share food, glorious food!

It was during some of these harrowing years, as a young parent, that I discovered, the then to become "loved and famous", pea and coriander soup. It's green, refreshing aliveness delivering a surprise deliciousness to the palette, unlike it's meek presentation. This soup, much like its diverse family members, suited all occasions. It was wonderful and nourishing when served warm on those cool winter nights or refreshing and tasty, served cool on a hot summer’s day. Many an occasion, held at my dear Aunt's house, called me to provide this wonderful welcome start to many a hearty meal. I can still hear the pleasing praise of my dear Chef brother and also now, some years after my Aunt passed from a sudden and rapid progressive brain tumour, I can recall and hold dear the sounds, laughter and memories, that these meals and family bonds of shared hearth, home and soul, created.

Here is the famous recipe!

Pea and Coriander Soup

1-2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 large brown onion, finely diced

4-6 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped or crushed

1kg frozen minted peas

1 litre of vegetable stock

1 litre of filtered water

1 bunch of coriander – roots and leaves well washed – all finely chopped. Keep some leaves aside for serving garnish

1 small tub of natural yoghurt

Method

Gently heat the olive oil in the base of a large saucepan/pot. Add the onion and garlic and lightly saute until soft and light, stirring regularly, not to burn.

Then add the peas, stock and water and simmer for about 30mins. Add the coriander, roots and leaves (keep some leaves aside for serving garnish). Simmer for a further 10 mins.

Allow to cool. Then blend until smooth using a blender stick OR completely cool and then process in a blender.

Gently re-heat in pot if serving warm.

Add a small dollop of natural yoghurt and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve and enjoy!

To hearty memories, hearty families and happy bellies!