I love soup - every time I cook it, I wonder why I don't make it more often. People have been making soup since mankind learned to boil water, but in the hands of a careful cook, it can be absolutely delicious, even if it's made up of odds and ends out of the fridge. For these recipes, home-made broth or stock will make the end result much better than if you use canned broth (if you must use the latter, dilute it with water). It's easy enough to make a batch of chicken broth - just rinse the bones, blanch them in boiling water, then drain. Rinse the bones again then put them in a pot with some chopped carrot, leek tops and a stalk of celery, and enough water to cover the ingredients. Place over a medium flame and as soon as it bubbles, lower the heat. Cook the broth at a bare simmer for a few hours before straining. You can make a big batch and freeze what you don't use immediately.
Kabocha squash soup with foie gras and croutons (pictured)
1 kabocha squash, about 1.5kg
30ml olive oil
50 grams unsalted butter
1 large leek (or two Japanese negi), white and pale green part only
?tsp piment d'espelette
