A quick and easy soup made with courgettes, fresh basil and a hint of Parmesan.
I’ve got a stinking cold.
I should have anticipated this and batch-cooked some comfort food in advance. When the kids go back to school after every single holiday break, they always bring home some new viruses from their peers: viruses picked up on holiday, new variants to our remote little island, viruses none of us are immune to. I wish there was some decontamination unit at the school doors that would scan the kids and wipe out these little nasty viruses before the children take them home.
But let’s rewind a bit – the day before I came down with this stinking cold it was a beautiful sunny Sunday and as our two older children were away on sleepovers our youngest, my husband and I went for a meandering Sunday coastal cliff walk.
I, of course, had to pack a picnic.
As it wasn’t a planned excursion, more like a “oh look the weather’s reasonably nice shall we go for a walk?”, I hadn’t prepared anything in advance. I had an idea for a soup banging about in my head, an adaptation of a courgette and basil soup with proscuitto tartines from Paul Gaylor’s book Soup (2013). So, I whipped up a batch, poured it into a flask, grabbed a few bits and bobs and away we went to a place my husband and youngest son have never been before – a picturesque coastal clifftop walk in Silwick, on the west side of Shetland.
Silwick, Shetland Islands
Silwick is one of Shetland’s little secrets. Usually when folk come to these remote North Sea islands they head to Eshaness to soak in all the coastal cliff awesomeness, but this area is just a few minutes’ walk from the end of the Silwick road, and despite its’ steep cliffs it really is quite safe. There’s a fence running along most of the cliff edges except for this little finger-like promontory pictured below. You can walk all the way around to Westerwick beach, and even further along the the coast if you’ve got the time.
After a short walk we found a rocky outcrop to sit on and bask in the last of the summer sun that was occasionally peeping out from behind the clouds.
As far as lazy Sunday afternoons go, this ranks pretty highly, I think.
Using up a courgette glut
I was really pleased at how well my soup idea turned out. I used up three of those veg box courgettes lurking in the vegetable crisper (salad drawer? Only one more courgette to go!), added a few large cloves of veg box garlic, a potato to thicken and make the soup a bit more substantial, the last of the double cream in the fridge and a handful of basil.
The secret ingredient was a Parmesan rind I found in the freezer. Did you know you can freeze cheese rinds? Parmesan or Grana Padano rinds freeze excellently and you can pop them into soup while it’s cooking and it completely dissolves, adding a lovely hint of flavour to the dish.
For our picnic I served the soup with a packet of bruschetta I found in the cupboard. The dry crispy bread worked really well with the soup making for a rather satisfying hillside meal in a mug.
Introduction to photography
Our youngest has taken a recent interest in photography, asking, at every opportunity, if he can borrow my camera to take some photos.
He’s got quite the eye for photography, and I’m keen to see if he’ll maintain this interest, although he’s not terribly interested in landscape shots just yet, and the pod of five dolphins that swam by in the sea just below us was not remotely photograph-worthy.
Photographing his father whistling with a blade of grass (above) and this Autumn hawkbit flower (below), though, was.
There was enough courgette and basil soup to make two lunches for us: our picnic lunch on Sunday and my husband’s packed work lunch on the Monday, plus a hearty bowl for my own lunch served with a little drizzle of melted butter and a few generous slices of buttery toasted focaccia. I’ve got a stinking cold and I crave comfort food.
I’m currently typing this curled up on the couch under my favourite blanket, sniffling away, cup of Yogi tea brewing, day time television in the background – Coraline’s about to start on Film 4. Batch cooked bolognese sauce is defrosting for tonight’s easy dinner plan and I’m seriously considering asking my teenage son if he’ll bake me some comfort food cake when he gets home from school.
It’s not a bad life, really, is it, despite the viruses?
Recipe Difficulty Levels
Easy
Requires basic cooking skills and ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen.
Moderate
Requires more experience, preparation and/or cooking time. You may have to source special ingredients.
Challenging
Recipes requiring more advanced skills and experience and maybe some special equipment.
Courgette & Basil Soup with Focaccia Toast
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter plus extra for the toast
- 1 large onion coarsely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves crushed
- 1 small potato peeled and cubed
- 3 large courgettes sliced
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1 litre chicken stock I use Essential Cuisine granules
- handful fresh basil leaves plus extra to garnish
- 125 ml double cream
- Shetland sea salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 slices focaccia bread
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Instructions
- Heat one tablespoonful of the butter in a heavy bottomed soup pan over a medium high heat.
- Gently saute the onions, garlic and potato until they begin to soften.
- Add the courgettes, Parmesan rind and the chicken stock.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the basil and cook until it wilts. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Transfer to a clean pan, stir in the double cream and keep warm while you toast the focaccia (do not allow to boil).
- Toast and butter the focaccia.
- Melt the remaining butter and drizzle over the top of the soup. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately with the focaccia toast.
Other courgette recipes you might like
Other soup recipes perfect for a flask
- Beetroot and Sweet Potato Soup from The Hedgecombers
- Haggis, Neeps & Tatties Soup by Foodie Quine
- Pea & Kale Soup with Mint from Veggie Desserts
- 5 Ingredient Tomato Soup by Little Sunny Kitchen
- Peanut Butter Butternut Squash Soup by Recipes from a Pantry
- Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup by Citrus Spice UK
- Parsnip, Kale & Stilton Soup by Supergolden Bakes
- Quick Courgette & Blue Cheese Soup by Kavey Eats
- Simple Butternut Squash Soup by Greedy Gourmet
- Spiced Parsnip Spinach Soup with Apple & Turmeric by Tin & Thyme
Kheera Cucumber and Tomato Curry
Great idea of soup. Love the idea of enjoying the soup in a mug
You really are blessed with a stunning place to live… I love how you totally make the most of it!!!! This soup looks divine and perfect for filling a flask. Thanks so much for hooking up with this month’s round of Simple and in Season – it’s a pleasure to have you join as always 🙂
What gorgeous views you have Elizabeth.I hope the soup did the trick and you’re feel better soon.
You soup sounds lovely and all the more lovely for eating it in such scenic surroundings – sounds like a wonderful afternoon
Your pictures are beautiful too, that soup looks and sounds yummy. I have pinned for later reference!
Looks like a lovely picnic and a lovely soup too.
I love zucchini and basil so I know I’d love this soup! It’s going on my to-make list…thanks for the recipe…and the beautiful photos as well!
Oh yes, taking soup and hot drinks on a walk on an autumnal day is soooo cosy! There’s something really warming about enjoying it whilst outdoors. Your soup looks yummy.
Silwick looks so gorgeous and picturesque – living close by you really don’t need to go far to enjoy some beautiful scenary.
Hope you’re feeling better
#CountryKids
Silwick looks like a beautiful place to visit, such fabulous photos
Colds are the worst! I hope you feel better xx
https://louiselovesbeauty.blogspot.co.uk
Wow I am oohing and aahing on the photos and how stuning it is there. This is like me reading my fave magazine! Lovely lovely post! #countrykids
I never think to take soup on a walk but it is such a good idea. We have flasks i the cupboard that I sometimes use for coffee or hot chocolate but this is so much more nutritious. I can just imagine crossing your stunning cliff tops and stopping to drink this warming blend. Looks like you choice a perfect day for walking too, nice and dry and clear but not too hot.
Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids
That soup looks simple perfect! Focaccia toast is making me hungry!! Mush try this before the summer leaves us!
Just found your blog for the first time! What a beautiful day for a picnic! Love what you took along!! Hoping to take my family on a picnic Monday but I expect it will be a whole lot warmer here where we are in the American Midwest. 🙂
Mmm this sounds so delicious and just what would fill you up on a winters day x
Sorry to hear you are not feeling well. The soup sounds delicious and must be a wonderful, flavourful comfort food.
Sounds like a divine homemade soup and an awesome adventure! love your photography!
How gorgeous is that view! The soup looks lovely too.
The soup looks delicious and I feel like I need to add the Shetlands to my list of places to visit now x
a beautiful soup… such a lovely colour and reminds me of one of my grandma’s soups that always made me feel better… wishing you better soon!
That soup sounds amazing and I need to try-out this. All the photos you shared are incredible!
This looks really nice and warming, especially if you have a cold x
Oh no sorry to hear you are not feeling well hun, I hope you feel better soon. The soup is a great idea I do the same when I am feeling ill.
That soup sounds amazing, I wouldn’t have thought of putting courgette and basil together in a soup.
The soup looks and sounds wonderful. The photography is breathtaking!
That soup looks delicious!!! Kudos for you to still enjoying some outdoor family time despite being under the weather!
I will take a bowl of the soup and the view too please. Wow.
What beautiful scenery! I am very jealous of where you live.
Courgette is a favourite of ours in soup, but we use mint instead of basil.
That is some serious scenery and what a way to devour the soup x
I have never tried a courgette soup before but that looks so tasty! The focaccia seems to match it perfectly. An ideal autumn soup I think x
There is something wonderful about taking off into the wilderness with a warm flask of soup and this sounds like a delicious recipe. x
The soup sounds delicious, but what really got my attention is how beautiful Shetland is. Such an amazing part of the country.
The only soup I have ever had is tomato – I need to try ones like this!
Look a lovely soup, perfect for a quick snack.
Oh wow, so scrummy! I have a rather bad obsession with courgettes at the moment! Yummy! H x
Wow, this looks really comforting and perfect for the colder months that are coming.
That lunch sounded so nice. Enjoying that view while picnicking sounds lovely. I love the pictures.
That looks so tasty. I would really like that now!
I love homemade soup – this looks delicious. I hope your cold is better! Kaz x
What a delicious and heart warming soup. You live in such a picturesque place.
Shetland always looks so lovely, I really need to go there if only just to have some of this fab soup.. Got any room for a small one?!
That soup sounds delicious and the pictures of that hike are absolutely stunning! I love that this meal is so portable.
What a stunning place! We always end up with a glut of courgettes and this is a great way to use them up.
I am so ready for cooler weather so I can take that soup on a picnic. It looks so yummy:)
Looks like the perfect weather for soup during your walk x
I add parmesan/grano padano rinds to soups too!
This soup sounds delicious. I love creamy soups with any kind of squash. Your post is like a mini travel log. Now I want to go there.
I had never thought to take soup with me to a picnic but I’ve got to be honest it makes perfect sense! The soup you made looks lovely by the way, and I’m such a fan of focaccia. x
Such a lovely soup. I hope you feel better soon. It sounds like your day out was magical!
You’re so lucky to live somewhere so utterly gorgeous! Perfect place to enjoy this soothing soup – hope you feel better soon!
Wow, those pictures are amazing! I want to go there.
And the courgette soup, I’m sure it tastes awesome. I make similar soup but I also add the whole bulb of roasted garlic and blend it.
the soup looks so comforting and delicious! Beautiful clicks..
Oh my god that looks amazing and soooo yummy I must try and make this soon!
Lovely – I’ve never taken soup on a picnic but we have a flask now so I’m going to try it during our autumn strolls x
What a brilliant way to use up a rind! I’ll definitely be trying that!
This would be lovely for a winters day. Especially when you’re ill, soups are the best. This looks tasty and so healthy. Hope you feel better!