1 lg Spanish onion
2 lg Carrots
1 md Turnip/swede
1 lb Leeks
Potatoes
Handful pearl barley/rice
1    Cube vegetable stock
1 ts Dried mixed herbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Tomato puree optional

Fill a very large saucepan with lid, if possible 2/3 full with cold water
and put it on to boil. This will take a long time, so peel and chop or
slice the onion, carrots, turnip/swede and potatoes. Trim the leeks, slice
down one side, and rinse them thoroughly in cold running water. Chop them
into 1/2 inch rings. Stir the stock cube into the boiling water. Add all
the prepared vegetables, the mixed herbs, and the pearl barley or rice as
you like. Turn down the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally,
until the potato has cooked enough to thicken the soup and all the other
vegetables are tender, but still recognizable. It needs about 40 minutes.
Add more water if required, a little at a time. Adjust flavor with salt and
pepper, and tomato puree if liked.