Marrow & Cumin Soup

Gardeners know the late-summer problem of one too many marrows, and this gentle, silky soup is the cure. Vegetable marrow (a large courgette, or any mild summer squash) is fairly bland on its own, so the warm, earthy hum of cumin is what turns it into something you’ll want to make on purpose, not just to clear the veg patch.

There’s a tidy bit of technique here. The potatoes boil in the pan while the marrow steams in a basket set on top, perfumed with cumin seeds tied in muslin. One burner, two cooking methods, and the cumin infuses the squash without leaving gritty seeds behind. The potatoes do double duty too, lending body so the blended soup turns velvety rather than watery.

Blend it smooth with some of the starchy cooking water, reheat gently, and that’s essentially it. The finish is what lifts it: a generous swirl of cool soured cream cutting the earthiness, and a scatter of fresh parsley for colour and a green, herbal note. It’s light, vegetarian, high in fibre, and costs next to nothing to make.

Kitchen Tips

• Tie the cumin seeds in muslin or a tea infuser so they flavour the squash without leaving gritty seeds in the smooth soup.
• The potatoes give the soup its body. Don’t skip them, or the marrow alone is thin and watery.
• Add the cooking water gradually as you blend, until you reach the consistency you like.
• Reheat gently after blending, and don’t let it boil hard once the cream goes in, or it can split.

Variations

• Toast and grind the cumin for a deeper, smokier flavour, or swap in curry powder.
• Use zucchini, yellow squash, or any mild summer squash in place of marrow.
• Stir in grated cheddar, or top with croutons and a drizzle of chilli oil.