Vegetable Soup with Dumplings

This is such a comforting soup for lunch or dinner.  I use whatever vegetables I have available and it's also a great way to use up leftover mashed potato.

1 Tblsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 Tblsp paprika

2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

200g beans, cut into 2cm lengths or a handful of frozen peas

400g cooked red kidney beans (I usually use a tin of beans, drained and rinsed)

500ml (2 cups) vegetable stock

3 large kale leaves, finely chopped

Potato dumplings

1 cup mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes

1/4 cup plain flour

1 free range egg

Optional extras for the dumplings:

1/3 cup chopped spring onions

3 Tblsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

To make the dumplings, put all the ingredients intp a bowl, season well with salt and pepper, then use a fork to combine them. Set aside whilst you make the soup.

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 2-3 minutes or until golden then add the crushed garlic and paprika, stir about for 30 seconds before adding the potato, carrot and flat beans (if you are using them).  Cook for 5 minutes, then add the kidney beans and stock. Stir well, bring to the boil then turn the heat down and smmer for 15 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.  If you are using frozen peas add them now with the kale and leave to stand for 5 minutes so the residual heat in the soup cooks them.

Roll sponfuls of dumpling dough into balls, then cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes.  I usually get  about 12 dumplings out of the mixture.

Ladle the soup into bowls, add a few dumplings to each bowl and serve.