This soup starts off as a basic green vegetable soup, but I always plan to make it the day after I have served roast chicken, then I can use the lovely rich flavours of the roast chicken carcass and the remaining chicken meat . You can make it even more interesting by adding slices of chorizo, ham or diced bacon to provide a more piquant or smoky flavour.

Serves 6 hearty portions or 8 starter portions

You need

3-4 medium leeks, slices or 2 white onions, coarsely chopped

3 sticks celery with a few celery leaves, chopped

2 cloves garlic

500ml finely chopped Swiss chard or spinach or 250 ml each of spinach and kale

125ml diced potato or sweet potato, or 100ml dried peas

1,5 litre vegetable or chicken stock (I use double stock powder to the recommended water for soups)

Carcass from one roast chicken (optional)

Any pan juices or seasoning from the roast chicken pan*

250ml diced cooked chicken meat

250ml frozen peas

250ml frozen sweetcorn

50ml chopped parsley

20ml lemon juice or more, to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

*I roast chicken, well seasoned with salt and pepper, with slices of onion, garlic, lemon and sprigs of thyme in the cavity and in the base of the pan. If I am going to use the carcass for soup, I always add extra lemon and onion. The roast lemon and onion provide a lovely flavour.

Prepare

Place leeks or onions, garlic, spinach (or other greens), celery, potato, stock and chicken carcass in a saucepan and bring it to the boil. Allow to simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes or dried peas are soft and disintegrating.

Using a slotted spoon remove the carcass from the soup, pick off any meat that has not fallen off the bones and return it to the soup. If you want a smoother, creamier soup you can blend it at this stage, but we prefer the heartier, chunky textures.

Add the cooked chicken, the peas, corn and parsley. I also have added left-over cooked, diced sweet potato at this stage!

Allow the soup to simmer for about 5-10 minutes for everything to heat through well and for the flavours to blend.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. I often add extra lemon and salt at this stage.

Serve hot with extra chopped parsley if desired.