is is an excellent vegetable soup from the south of England and is very quick an d easy to make.

Ingredients Serves: 6 50 Gram Butter (2 oz) 1 Small Onion, finely chopped 450 Gram Spinach, finely chopped, fresh or frozen (1 lb) 900 ml Chicken stock, or vegetable stock (1 1/2 pints) 1/4 Teaspoon Salt 1/4 Teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper 2 Teaspoon Lemon juice 1/4 Teaspoon Ground mace 15 Gram Plain flour ( 1/2 oz) 4 Tablespoon Single cream Method Melt half the butter in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion for about 5 mi nutes until soft but not brown. Add the spinach and stir from time to time until defrosted if frozen. Add the stock, salt, pepper, lemon juice and mace. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Put the soup through a sieve or food processor and set it aside. In a second saucepan, melt the remaining butter, sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the spinach mixture, stirring constan tly. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary and just before serving, swirl in th e cream.