Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ onion
• finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove
• finely chopped
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 cardamom pods
• crushed
• shells discarded
• ½ parsnip
• peeled
• cored and chopped
• ½ small potato
• peeled and chopped
• 50ml/2fl oz white wine
• 250ml/9fl oz hot chicken stock
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp chopped fresh chives
• to garnish
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 50g/1¾oz ciabatta
• cut into cubes
• 50g/1¾oz bacon lardons
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the soup
• heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and garlic until softened.
• Add the curry powder and cardamom seeds and stir well
• then add the parsnip and potato.
• Add the white wine to the pan
• bring to the boil and simmer until reduced by half.
• Add the stock and simmer for 12-14 minutes
• until the vegetables are tender
• then season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the croûtons
• heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the ciabatta cubes until crisp and golden-brown. Transfer to a bowl.
• In the same pan
• fry the bacon lardons until crisp and golden-brown and add to the bowl with the ciabatta cubes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• pour the soup into a bowl
• top with the croûtons and sprinkle over the chives.