Soup was actually invented by the Egyptians about ten thousand years ago, they used to boil it in large clay pots and serve it in shells or horns.

Soup kitchens were founded by Al Capone in the 1930s, he paid $350 per day to feed the 3000 unemployed.

CHICKEN & SWEETCORN (4)

Ingredients

1lb raw chicken breasts, cut into strips

2 pints chicken stock/water

¼pt double cream

1 tblsp cornflour

3 tblsp milk

6oz sweetcorn

salt n pepper

Instructions

Put chicken, stock and cream in large pan and bring to boil over a low heat. Reduce to simmer for 20 minutes, season.

Put milk into cornflour mix till smooth and stir into soup

Add sweetcorn and heat.

If you want, you can add 3 rounds (3oz approx) of cooked vermicelli with the sweetcorn.

TOMATO & PEPPER (4)

Ingredients

2 large peppers (1 red, 1 orange)

1 large onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 pt vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

2 large cans plum tomatoes

Salt and pepper

Instructions

Char the peppers under grill for about 10 minutes, tun occasionally, leave to cool and peel of the skins, chop and put in large pan

Put the onion and garlic in, add the stock and bay leaf, bring to boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, remove from heat

Put tomatoes in and blend, put back in pan and heat.

CARROT AND CORIANDER (4)

3oz butter/margarine

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

12oz carrots, sliced

1½pts stock

1 tsp ground coriander

4½potato, diced

2 tsp tomato puree

2 tsp lemon juice

½pt milk

Salt and pepper

Instructions

Melt butter/marg in a large pan, add onion and garlic till soft

Add carrots, fry for 5 minutes, keep stirring

Add stock, coriander, seasoning, potato, tomato puree and lemon juice, bring to boil, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, cool

Blend, put into pan and add milk, bring slowly to boil and serve.