Zucchini Soup Recipe

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• One medium onion roughly chopped
• 2 fat cloves of garlic - crushed
• 1 medium zucchini/courgette 2/3rds chopped roughly and 1/3rd cut into small dice separate
  
• 1/2 litre stock - vegetable or chicken
  
• 16 oz/400g ripe tomatoes, chopped roughly - or you can use a 16oz/400g can chopped tomatoes
• Juice and grated zest of half a lemon
• 1 small dried chilli, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon herb de provence
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon honey

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions, saute over a medium heat till they are golden and translucent, then turn down the heat and add the garlic.
   
2. Sweat for ten minutes until soft.
   
3. Now add the stock, the roughly chopped zucchini/courgette (keep the finely diced for later) the tomatoes, lemon zest and juice, chilli, herbs, a little salt and pepper and the honey.
   
4. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
   
5. OK - Remove from the heat and with a stick blender whizz the mixture in the pan for about 30 seconds....it does not need to be completely blended, just partly so that it retains some texture.
6. Put the pan back on to the heat and add the finely diced zucchini, just bring back to the boil and then turn off the heat.
7. Check the soup for seasoning and then serve as soon as you like.