Gently saute the onion for five minutes, until it softens but does not colour.
Add the garlic and courgettes and cook for a further two minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the vegetable stock and pop the lid on the pot. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, boil the broad beans for four minutes. Drain and plunge them into some cold water. Remove the pale green skins and set the vibrant green broad beans aside.
A few minutes before the end of the cooking time add the chopped mint and torn basil to the soup pot. Leave the soup to cool for a few minutes and then puree with a hand blender until smooth.
Stir in the grated Gouda and the broad beans and reheat the soup. Do not allow to boil.
Season to taste and serve with plenty of crusty bread.
Notes
Use two large courgettes or three small.Instead of Gouda why not add a Parmesan or Grana Padano rind along with the stock. It will dissolve as it cooks, imparting a lovely cheese flavour to the soup. Store rinds in the freezer until needed!