The second Bulgarian recipe we’ve cooked from Black Sea by Caroline Eden and one of the best soups we’ve had in ages. We think it’s the combination of sweet peppers and parsnip with the spicy broth that makes it so good. Serve with a good slick of olive oil and a dollop of sour cream on top.
Monastery Soup – serves 4
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 large red or yellow pepper, diced very finely
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 parsnip, finely diced
- 2 carrots, sliced into thick rounds
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- a good pinch of chilli flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 700ml veg stock
- a tin of haricot beans, drained and rinsed
- a tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- flat-leaf parsley & mint, chopped (to serve)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (to serve)
- 2 tbsp sour cream or crème fraîche (to serve, optional but good)
Warm the sunflower oil in a large pot, then add the pepper, onion, parsnip and carrot with some salt. Cook for about 7 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
Add the paprika, chilli flakes, garlic and some black pepper and continue to cook for another few minutes. Add the stock and beans and turn up the heat. When the soup starts to boil, turn the heat down and leave to simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through (try one of the carrots). Remove from the heat and divide between warm bowls. Sprinkle over the herbs and a drizzle of olive oil. A spoon of sour cream on top is also really good.
(Original recipe Black Sea by Caroline Eden, Quadrille, 2018)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 
Leave a Reply