Now I go all Mrs. McBeeton on you with a warming Winter recipe.  And as Johnny Craddock famously said:

"I hope all your doughnuts turn out like fannies" 

Oli

Ingredients:

250g Minced Lamb (flank mutton is also good - if you can get it)
2 Lamb Stock Cubes
2 Medium Carrots
1 Medium Parsnip
1/4 Swede (Turnip)
2 Medium Onions
2 Medium Leeks
Cup of Broth Mix
Knob of butter
Pinch Mixed Herbs
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:

If time allows, steep the broth mix overnight to soften - if not, put it in a bowl and pour boiling water over it - leave it while you do the rest of the veg.

Gently brown the mince in a large pot (preferably a stock pot) using the butter to prevent sticking. 

Dissolve the stock cubes in boiling water and add to the browned mince. Set to simmer gently.

Dice the carrots, swede, parsnips and onion as small as you can.  This takes time, though I'm now a bit of a Gordon Ramsay with the old cooks knife!  Always use a very sharp, good quality knife - I have a nice Sabatier, not the best, but I sharpen it regularly.  Dicing small ensures that every spoonful of finished soup has the greatest variety of ingredients in it. My mum and granny used to grate the carrots, this resulted in an orangey yellow soup colour due to the greater release of beta-carotene, personal preference I suppose.

Top & tail and slice the leeks - often they conceal mud inside, so rinse the sliced leek.

Thoroughly rinse the steeped brothmix (Gran used to call it "swell" - perhaps that was a proprietary brand, I use Scot's, with the tartan on the bag).

Add the brothmix, diced veg, herbs, salt and pepper to the pot and continue to simmer for at least two hours.  Stir regularly to ensure no sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Taste and season as required.

Serve in heated bowls, ideally with fresh "plain" (Scottish Batch Baked) bread, and enjoy!

Oli 04/12/06