Super Soups

October, and a sharp drop in temperature so we really need something warm and sustaining – and what could be better than soup?  I know it’s easy to open a tin, a packet or a carton, and, yes, some of them are very nice – but wouldn’t you like to make your own with fresh ingredients and no preservatives? Buy “wonky” veg / use it up the odd ingredient lurking in the back of the fridge or use up the end of spices or herbs

Of course, you can’t really make soup for one but this is one of those occasions when you do want to make more than you need for one sitting – a pot of soup sitting in the fridge when you want it should last the week – and you can vary it in lots of ways by what you add to it.

Extra touches you can add to Soups

Parsley    Sage         Rosemary        Thyme           Oregano            Basil         Coriander      Mint         

Kaffir Lime Leaves              Chervil              Chives

• Single or Double Cream
• Crème Fraiche
• Yogurt
• Sour Cream

Croutons – cube some bread and fry in butter

Croutes – French bread of slices of bread, brushed with olive oil and toasted in the oven

As above but rubbed with garlic

As above but covered in cheese and toasted

You can make your own stock, boiling up the carcass or bones of a roast dinner with some vegetables – but stock cubes are perfectly acceptable – there lots of good ones in the shops now.

Canned Beans eg cannellini / pulses eg dried beans and lentils / grains eg rice, pearl barley and couscous can all be added to bulk out simple soups.

How about you make one of the below, go for a walk in the lovely crisp air and come home to a bowl of soup.  Don’t forget to pick up a nice crusty bread to go with it – and you definitely want some nice butter to go on it – no margarine!

Broccoli and Stilton Soup – a “quickie” recipe as cooking time is less than 10 mins   Serves 4

• 12oz broccoli, cut into small pieces
• 14fl oz vegetable stock
• 1 oz butter
• 4 spring onions, sliced (or 1 leek)
• 1 3/4oz Stilton, crumbled or to taste
• 3 ½ fl.oz double cream
• Salt and pepper
• Pinch nutmeg

Put broccoli pieces into a glass bowl. Pour over stock. Cover the bowl with cling film and put in microwave. Cook for 4 minutes till tender. Heat a frying pan till hot and add butter. When it starts to foam, add onions and cook for 1 minute. Put cooked broccoli and stock in a bowl/blender. Add onions, stilton and cream and blend together. Transfer mixture to a pan and bring gently to a simmer.

Red Lentil and chilli soup Serves 4

• 2 teaspoons cumin seed
• pinch chilli flakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1chopped red onion
• 140g red lentils
• 850ml vegetable stock
• 400g can tomatoes
• 200g can chickpeas*
• Small bunch of coriander chopped
• Greek yogurt to serve

* optional

Heat a large saucepan and dry fry cumin seeds and chilli flakes for 1 minute. Add oil and onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils, stock and tomatoes and bring to boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Whiz the soup with stick blender or food processor until rough puree. Put back in pan and add chickpeas if wanted. Heat and stir in coriander. Serve with a dollop of yogurt.

Leek and Potato Soup with cheesy mustard croutons Serves 4

• 10 grams butter
• 2 leeks
• 1 teasp dried tarragon (optional)
• 1 large potato
• 500 ml stock with boiling water and a stock cube
• 30 grams watercress (optional)

Melt butter in a large pan and add chopped leeks and tarragon. Add the chopped potato and stock.  Bring to boil and cook until potato is soft.  Add the watercress if using, simmer for 3 minutes and blend till smooth. Preheat grill to high and toast 2 slices of bread/baguette until crisp.  Spread each slice with some Dijon mustard and top with some grated cheese (any kind you like) Put the soup into a bowl and top with a cheesy crouton and serve.

Carrot and Ginger Soup Serves 4

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp coarsely grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 500 grams of carrots
• 850ml vegetable stock
• little nutmeg

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, ginger and garlic, and fry for 5 mins until starting to soften. Stir in the nutmeg and cook for 1 min more. Pour in the stock, add the carrots then cover and simmer for 20-25 mins until the carrots are tender. Scoop a third of the mixture into a bowl and blitz the remainder with a hand blender or in a food processor until smooth. Return everything to the pan and heat until bubbling. Serve topped with a little nutmeg.