Green Bean Soup
(Soupe aux Haricots Verts)

Haricot vert is French for green beans. Haricot meaning beans and vert meaning green. French green beans are longer and thinner than most varieties. They are also more tender and have a more complex flavor. If you cannot find haricot vert, substitute with the thinnest young green beans you can find.

From the Lorraine region of North East France. Green beans are grown in abundance all over France when it comes to harvesting your crops as well as freezing your stock, this is a great way of preserving them for the winter months

Green Bean Soup (Soupe aux Haricots verts)

serves:- 4-6 preparation time:- 10 mins cooking time:- 1 hour

Ingredients

* Butter for frying
* 2 thick slices of smoked bacon, diced
* 1 onion, finely chopped
* 1kg or 2lb of potatoes, peeled and diced
* 1kg or 2lb of green beans, topped, tailed and diced
* 2 sprigs of savory
* salt and pepper
1 tablespoon of double cream
1 handful of chopped parsley.

Method

* melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the bacon and onion and fry until the onions are pale.

* add the potatoes, green beans, 2 litres or 3 1/2 pints of cold water, the savory and pepper

* simmer for 1 hour

* add salt if needed

* before serving, put a large spoonful of the double cream and the parsley in a serving bowl

* pour the soup on to the cream and parsley and serve