THERE'S nothing like a bowl of steaming, warming soup to bring warmth to the cold, dark days of winter. The culinary equivalent of a comfort blanket, there are soups for every season - but they are particularly well suited to winter when warm and nourishing foods have an added appeal.

Soup doesn't have to be boring either - if you want a change from simple potato or tomato soups, why not indulge your palate with anything from fashionable consomms to more traditional versions with chunky vegetables and beans.

Soup-making is often viewed as time-consuming and fiddly. Many people buy soup instead, now that supermarkets stock a wider and more adventurous range of fresh and canned varieties.

But there's nothing to beat a good, home-made soup, assembled from fresh ingredients, says Christine Carter - and once you try it, you'll be surprised at just how easy it is.

Christine should know. As head chef of Bonds Bistro in New Street, York, she doesn't just make soup for the family. When she makes a soup, she dishes up 40 helpings at a time - all cooked from fresh.

One of the advantages with soups is that you don't have to stick slavishly to a recipe. This versatile dish can bring out the experimental chef in us all.

One of Christine's favourites is thick vegetable soup, which can be made with almost whatever vegetables you fancy. Broccoli, potatoes, carrots, green beans, onions, mushrooms, celery, courgettes - they can all go into the pot, all adding their own distinctive flavour and consistency. For a Mediterranean flavour, simply add green or red peppers to spice up the soup.

Soup doesn't require any fancy kitchen equipment, either. All you'll need is a large, heavy-based pot and - useful but not essential - a blender for mixing ingredients and getting the texture right.

Christine herself doesn't use salt when making soups.

"There is a lot of salt in things anyway, and people can always add their own," she says. Whatever the soup you're making, however, a good stock - whether beef, chicken, fish or vegetable - will give extra body and flavour, and is easy to make, according to food writer Bridget Jones.

Just put the remains of the weekly roast in a pan and add carrots, onions, celery and mixed herbs.

Cover with water and bring to the boil then leave on the stove to simmer gently for about an hour before straining. It can then be poured into ice cube trays and kept frozen.

If the thought of that extra preparation is enough to put you off, however, you can buy stock from supermarkets. She doesn't use them herself, but even a simple stock cube can serve for a good, tasty soup made at home, says Christine Carter. Purists might sniff and say they give a salty or artificial flavour, but how many families are really going to tell the difference?

One misconception about soups is that they are just a starter or light snack. The addition of chicken, duck or tofu to a noodle soup for example can turn it into a filling meal. Other possible ingredients for a more substantial dish with added texture include pasta, dumplings, croutons, beans and pulses.

Simpler soups can also be transformed with the addition of various garnishes and toppings. Try adding cheese or streaky bacon, a dollop of thick yoghurt or creme fraiche.

Spices such as coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, mace and nutmeg are ideal for winter soups and paprika helps provide a rich colour, says Bridget Jones.

The flavour of some vegetables, such as green and red peppers, is greatly enhanced if they are gently sauted before any liquid is added, she says.

One very important point, however: soups must always be simmered, as boiling destroys flavour, colour and many nutrients.

Here are three recipes for soups which will give you a warm glow even as the temperature plummets.

Christine Carter's Leek and Potato Soup (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

2-3 large leeks

2 large potatoes (preferably baking)

1 large onion

small carton of single cream

vegetable stock

salt and pepper to taste

vegetable oil or olive oil

Wash the leeks thoroughly to remove grit, then chop or slice as preferred. Use the whole leek, both white and green parts. Wash the potatoes, leaving the skins on, then chop. Peel and chop the onion.

Saut for 5-10 minutes in a pan in a little vegetable oil or olive oil, until fairly soft. Add water to above the top of the vegetables, allowing more for the fact water will evaporate during cooking. Add vegetable stock. Simmer for 20-30 mins until vegetables are cooked. Blend in a liquidiser, adding a little cream and pepper to taste. Return to pan and bring back to simmer, adding more water if a thinner consistency is wanted.

Updated: 09:12 Saturday, January 19, 2002