Tuesday 19 March 2013

Amour for Courgette and Mint Soup


I watched the film 'Amour' last night.  I watched it on my own, in bed, wrapped up in my duvet.  Half way through the film I realised that this was not the best way to watch the film.  Let me explain to you why. 


The film is about an elderly couple, not a hot young love story with lots of sex as assumed by my house mate as he winked 'oh hey,' in a creepy voice (God knows what he thought the film was about).  In fact, the elderly lady in 'Amour' spends a lot of her time in bed wrapped up in her cover (I don't want to ruin the story for you) whilst her husband looks after her.  After an hour of the film and being wrapped up in the same position, I started to believe that I was her.

Imagine the situation:  a 23 year old girl believing she is a 90 year old one, who is passing all her days feeling unwell.  Of course, all she would want to eat is this courgette and mint soup.  It is the cure to all hardship.


Analysing the films cinematographic details, I noticed that none of the food looked particularly appetising in the film which made the situation so much darker.  The courgette and mint soup was all I could think about. I know they would have said "c'est delicieux!" because that is exactly what my grandparents said when they had it, proving that elderly french people are very fond of these culinary choices. (By culinary choices I mean purée, soup and all mushy veg.)   Coincidentally, both my grandfather and the man in the film are called George so that confirms the appreciation of this soup.  Not only is it very healthy (and they eat very healthily throughout the film) it is also extremely fresh and delicious.

I hope that this has not put you off the soup rather than on it, because it is not the reference to elderly people being unable to eat solid food that makes this soup worth making but more that it was the most desirable food I could imagine eating in that situation.  It is actually, one of the most delicious soups I could imagine eating in all situations.

For 4 People:

30g Butter (or olive oil)
1 Large Onion, chopped
500g Courgettes, roughly chopped 
550ml Chicken stock OR 2 chicken stock cubes (you can use vegetable as well) with 1 litre water
20 Mint Leaves
Little Salt and Pep.

Optional: Single or double cream to finish off (adds to the already creaminess of the courgettes) 

-Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onions until soft
-Add the courgettes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add the stock and cook for another 25 minutes or until the courgettes are soft.
-Add the mint
-Using a handheld blended, blitz the soup.

Pour into bowls and finish off with a little bit of cream and a mint leaf.






 "C'est delicieux..."










 

No comments:

Post a Comment