WINTER VEGETABLE AND PEARLED SPELT SOUP

Kindly Donated by
Jo Pratt

• 20g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 leek, sliced
• 2 sticks of celery, finely sliced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced into 1-2cm pieces
• 1 medium parsnip, peeled and diced into 1-2cm pieces
• ½ small butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1-2cm pieces
• 2 bay leaves 2 stalks of thyme
• 125g pearled spelt
• 75ml white wine
• 1ltr vegetable or chicken stock
• 1tbsp tomato puree

Heat the butter in a pan and add all of the veg. Cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until the vegetables have just started to soften. 

Stir in the bay leaves, thyme, pearled spelt, white wine, stock and tomato puree. Bring to a simmer, cover loosely with a lid and cook for about 40 minutes until the vegetables are nice and tender and the pearled spelt is soft. 

Remove the bay leaves and thyme stalk and stir in the chopped parsley. Season to taste and serve hot.