Green Pea Soup from 'The Witches'

This is probably one of the best soups I've ever made. I found this book at a second hand bookshop in Northcote, and I couldn't resist. It's a good sign when there was no need to add salt or pepper at the table.

Serves 4-5

You will need:
2 large saucepans
food processor
sieve

1oz (25g) butter
12 spring onions, roughly chopped
1 small potato, roughly diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
12oz (350g) frozen peas
1 1/2 pt (900ml) chicken stock
salt and pepper

Garnish:
6oz (175g) frozen peas
5 fl oz (150ml) double cream

Melt the butter in a large saucepan.

Add the spring onions, potato and garlic.

Cover with a lid and sweat for 10 minutes.

Add the peas, stock, salt and pepper, bring to the boil and simmer slowly for approx 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat and liquidise.

Pass through a sieve into a clean saucepan.

Reheat, adding the peas to garnish and cook until just tender. Add the cream and heat through, correcting the seasoning.

Serve in warm soup bowls with hot crusty bread.

Vanilla-Flavoured Sweet Potato with Oranges

Another one of those dishes I wanted to try after a weekend hanging out with the cookbooks. I've been researching Japanese food, and I liked the lightness of this dish. Unfortunately, I cooked it too early while preparing dinner, so it was quite cold by the time the Roast Pork Loin was ready. I may also have simmered the liquid for too long. Oh, but smell the orange and vanilla!

Serves 4
225g (8oz) sweet potato, peeled
1 orange, sliced
1 vanilla bean, slit lengthways
50g (2 oz) granulated sugar

Chop the sweet potato into chunks 2.5cm (1in) thick and soak in cold water. Drain, then put the chunks in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Drain off the cooking water. Add the orange slices, vanilla bean, sugar and 450ml (16fl oz) of fresh water to the pan and cook until the potato is soft.

Take out the chunks of potato and transfer them to a serving dish. Reduce the liquid by half and drizzle it over the potato.