This is my response to the arrival of winter and the recent events in Ireland.
There is nothing more warming or comforting than a soup , a good soup with atin’ and drinkin’ in it and why not make a dinner of it ?
Why relegate it to lunch when its origins correctly place it in the evening.

I remember that when we worked in the Loire in the seventies the locals referred to their evening meal as La Soupe, which a recent comment from another local inhabitant informed me was also what this meal was called down here in the Languedoc.
(Thanks Rita).

Surely this refers to the evening meal usually being just that , a soup , as indeed so must our “supper” spring from the same premise.

Lewis Carrol’s verse puts Soup correctly in its appropriate time.

Beautiful Soup, so rich and green,
Waiting in a hot tureen!
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!

Beau–ootiful Soo-oop!
Beau–ootiful Soo-oop!
Soo–oop of the e–e–evening,
Beautiful, beauti–FUL SOUP!

So how about this depression crushing chowder for supper ?

Gather together.

50g Butter, Oil or Duck Fat ( I used duck fat )
200g Streaky Bacon, diced
2 Large Carrots, diced
300g Jeruslaem Artichokes or the same amount of Parsnip or White Turnip, diced
300g Potatoes diced
50g Plain Flour
200g Frozen Peas
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 litre Stock (A good quality cube will do)
Fresh Ground Pepper

Get ready all your stuff.
Dice the bacon and then scrub and dice the carrot, artichoke and potato without peeling (there is no need and the skins add to the flavour)

Melt the fat in a large pot.
Cook the bacon first in this until it browns then add first the carrot, and then the potato and artichoke and fry these briskly for a few minutes.
Now add in the flour and stir in well.
Next add the stock, the soy and the peas .
(You can also at this stage add any bits of cold meat you may have about the fridge, some sliced ham or salami for instance, just dice and toss in )
Let this come up to the boil and then simmer gently until the veg are all cooked.
(test the carrot, it seems to take the longest)
Taste for seasoning , it will take pepper but may not need salt.
Serve this in big bowls with plenty of bread , you will have loads for four, including seconds.