We went to Fez in Morocco over Christmas 2007, and one of the treats we gave ourselves was a day's cooking lessons in Riad Larouusa (see Links), a very fine hotel/guesthouse in the centre of Fez's Medina. This is one of the dishes we learnt that day, a gorgeous, classic Arabic winter vegetable soup. It uses celery herb leaf, but the new green parts on normal celery heads could be substituted.

500g pre soaked chickpeas (Samira, the commis chef of Laroussa's kitchen, used to soak and then freeze these for later use)

1.5 litres Vegetable Nage

3-4 grated onions

5 strands saffron

a large bunch (30g) of very finely chopped celery leaf, including the stems or very finely chopped leaves from the head of a celery

a large bunch of flat leaf parsley very finely chopped including the stems.

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground ginger

a large bunch (30g) of very finely chopped coriander leaf, including the stems

11 carrots, finely chopped

3-4 potatoes, diced

200g long grain rice, rinsed

3kg tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and finely chopped or 7 tins of chopped tomatoes

250g tomato puree diluted in a little water

2 tbsps salted butter/ghee

salt and pepper

• Add the chick peas, and grated onions to a large pot or wok. Bring to boil with 1.5 litres of water and 1.5 litres of Vegetable Nage or Stock

• Add half of the celery leaf, parsley, cinnamon, saffron and ginger. Simmer for 20 minutes

• Add the potatoes and carrots and simmer for another 10 minutes

• Pound the coriander leaf with a small amount of salt to make a fine paste and add half to the pot, along with remaining celery leaf. Cook for 90 minutes

• Remove the carrots and potatoes. Liquidise the vegetables. Return them to soup mixture and add tomatoes, rice, butter/ghee and tomato puree

• Check if more water is needed - the soup should have quite a thick consistency. Cook for a further half hour

• Check seasoning, add extra coriander paste or tomato puree if needed. Serve with bread