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Posts Tagged ‘Soup’

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup – Potage de topinambours à la provençale

Posted in Food, Soup, tagged , , , , , , on 8 April 2014| Leave a Comment »

Jerusalem Artichoke soup

This is so refined in flavour and texture with the creamy and elegant soup working perfectly with the crunchy topping of celery, pancetta, garlic and fresh tomato. Highly recommended!

We’re a bit late with the recipe as Jerusalem artichoke season finishes in March but they’ll be back again at the end of the year and they’re probably still around somewhere in the world.

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup – to serve 4

  • 1kg Jerusalem artichokes
  • 1.8 litres of salted water
  • 300ml milk
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled
  • small piece of celery, chopped
  • a little parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped ham or bacon or pancetta

Peel and chop the Jerusalem artichokes into even sized chunks. Simmer in the water until tender, then drain and purée with a stick blender.

Heat up the artichokes and gradually add the milk.

Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan and fry the tomatoes, garlic, celery, parsley and bacon for just a few minutes, then pour into the soup (along with the oil).

(Original recipe from At Elizabeth David’s Table: Her very best everyday recipes, Penguin, 2010.)

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Broccoli and Stilton Soup

Posted in Food, Soup, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 12 February 2014| 2 Comments »

We love cheese after dinner but it seems a bit indulgent during the week and therefore we inevitably end up with chunks of cheese lurking in the back of the fridge. We try our best not to waste any food but something as expensive and delicious as cheese (particularly the cheese pantry stuff as opposed to the supermarket plastic-wrapped kind) is even more of a travesty to not use. That’s when recipes like this one are perfect for a mid-week treat without having to indulge in a two-course evening meal.

Broccoli & Stilton Soup – to serve 4

  • 2 tbsp flavourless oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 stick of celery, sliced
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 1 medium potato, diced
  • a knob of butter
  • 1 litre of good chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 head of broccoli, roughly chopped (including stalks)
  • 140g Stilton (or other blue cheese), crumbled

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onions until soft but not coloured. Add a splash of water if they start to catch.

Add the celery, leek, potato and butter. Stir until the butter melts, then cover with a lid and sweat for 5 minutes.

Pour in stock and add any chunks of broccoli stalk. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Add the remaining broccoli and cook for another 5 minutes. Whizz until smooth, then stir in the stilton. Season with black pepper (you are unlikely to need salt) and serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Pumpkin & Sage Soup

Posted in Food, Healthy, Soup, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 1 January 2014| 1 Comment »

Sage brings an unexpected element to this soup that really works. Super warming and homely.

Pumpkin and sage soup – to serve 8

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 3 onions, chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped sage
  • 1.4kg of pumpkin or squash flesh
  • 1 tbsp clear honey
  • 1.5 litres vegetable stock

Melt the oil and butter in a large pot. Add the onions and sage and cook gently for about 15 minutes or until really soft. Add the squash and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the honey and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until the squash is soft.

Cook before processing until smooth. Season and add a bit more stock if its too thick. Reheat to serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Chervil Soup

Posted in Food, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , on 2 July 2013| Leave a Comment »

This is a real gardeners’ delight as chervil grows well, but doesn’t travel well, so its best cooked soon after picking. We love the hint of aniseed it brings to the flavours and have to thank Rai and Linda for their allotment which allowed us to make this soup!

Chervil & Potato Soup – to serve 4

  • 50g butter
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 450g fresh chervil (or you can use other soft herbs like parsley, sorrel or marjoram)
  • 1 large floury potato, peeled, diced and rinsed
  • 1.1 litres boiling vegetable stock

Melt the butter and soften the onion without browning.

Stir in the herbs, a generous pinch of salt and some pepper, cover and sweat for a few minutes.

Add the potato and 275ml of the boiling stock. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the rest of the liquid. Continue to simmer until the potato is soft enough for you to mash into the soup. Taste for seasoning and serve.

(Original recipe from Lindsey Bareham’s A Celebration of Soup, Penguin Books, 1993.)

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Coconut, Noodle & Vegetable Soup

Posted in Asian, Food, Healthy, Soup, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 26 June 2013| 3 Comments »

We’re always on the lookout for low-calorie dishes for weeknights (so we can afford to redress the balance at the weekend!) This one was tasty and helpfully used up some of the bits and pieces we had in the fridge.

Coconut, noodle & vegetable soup – to serve 4

  • 1-2 tbsp Thai curry paste (use whatever colour you’ve got)
  • 1 tsp groundnut (or other flavourless oil)
  • 700ml vegetable stock
  • 300ml reduced-fat coconut milk
  • 200g thick-rice noodles
  • 200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 140g sugar snap peas, halved
  • 100g beansprouts
  • 1½ tbsp Thai fish sauce
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 3 scallions shredded
  • some mint and coriander leaves to serve (if you have some)

Put a large pot over a medium heat. Cook the curry paste in the oil for a minute until it starts to release its aroma. Add the stock and coconut milk and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the noodles. Simmer for 7 minutes, then stir in the mushrooms and sugar snaps. Cook for another 3 minutes, then add the beansprouts, fish sauce and lime juice. Take the pan off the heat.

Serve in bowls with some scallions, mint and coriander.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Red Lentil & Chorizo Soup

Posted in Food, Healthy, Soup, tagged , , , , , , on 13 June 2013| 2 Comments »

Surprisingly light and healthy despite the big, rich flavours.

Red Lentil & Chorizo Soup – to serve 6

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 200g cooking chorizo, peeled and diced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • pinch of cumin seeds
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika, plus extra for sprinkling
  • pinch of golden caster sugar
  • small splash red wine vinegar
  • 250g red lentils
  • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomato
  • 850ml chicken stock
  • plain yogurt, to serve

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the chorizo and cook until crispy and the oil has run. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside but leave the oil in the pan. Fry the onion, carrot and cumin seeds for about 10 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Sprinkle in the the paprika and sugar, cook for a minute then add the vinegar. Simmer briefly, then add the lentils and pour over the tomatoes and chicken stock.

Stir well, then simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Blitz in a blender but you don’t want it completely smooth.

Serve drizzled with the yogurt, a little extra olive oil if you like, and a sprinkle of paprika.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Fennel & Parsnip Soup

Posted in Food, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , on 8 May 2013| Leave a Comment »

This was really elegant and luxurious and the fennel and parsnip combination was unexpectedly delicious.

Fennel & Parsnip Soup – to serve 8

  • 50g butter
  • 175g onion, diced
  • 450g parsnips, peeled and diced
  • 450g fennel bulb, finely diced, keep the fronds to garnish
  • 1.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock
  • 125ml milk
  • 125ml cream

Melt the butter in a large pot, add the onion, parsnips and fennel and stir well to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a circle of baking paper and and the saucepan lid. Cook on a gentle heat for 10-15 minutes or until soft but not coloured.

Heat the stock and add, simmering for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are completely tender. Add the milk and cream.

Blend until smooth and taste for seasoning. Serve sprinkled with the reserved fennel fronds.

(Original recipe from Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cookery Course, Kyle Cathie Limited, 2001.)

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Winter Minestrone

Posted in Food, Healthy, Italian, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 25 March 2013| 1 Comment »

A very filling dish that hits the mark on these icy evenings. Oh spring where are you?

Minestrone Invernale – serves many!

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1-2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 head celery, roughly chopped
  • 1 head garlic, cloves peeled
  • 1kg Swiss chard, leaves shredded and stalks roughly chopped
  • 1 handful parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 x 400g tin peeled plum tomatoes, drained of most of their juices, roughly chopped
  • 1 kg cavolo nero, stalks removed, leaves shredded (or use Savoy cabbage)
  • 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans
  • 500ml chicken stock or water
  • a few sprigs of wintery herbs like thyme or sage, chopped
  • Parmesan, for grating over
  • extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a very big saucepan and slowly fry the carrot, onion and celery until soft and dark. This will take ages. Add the garlic, chard stalks and half the parsley, and keep cooking, stirring so it doesn’t stick. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes or until they have reduced.

Add half the Swiss chard leaves and half the cavelo nero, ¾ of the beans, and the boiling chicken stock or water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. You can add a bit more stock if needed but the whole point is that the soup should be really thick.

Add the remaining Swiss chard and cavolo nero and blanch briefly so they are cooked but stay green and crisp. Season with plenty of salt and pepper.

Purée the rest of the cannellini beans coarsely in a blender, with a bit of liquid from the soup. Add to the soup. Stir in the herbs and serve hot with Parmesan and some extra virgin olive oil.

Tastes great re-heated over the next few days.

Wine Suggestion: This is a very rustic, country dish and would suit a similar wine with some earthy character. We suggest a Barbera or something Tuscan.

(Original recipe from The River Café Cookbook by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray, Ebury Press, 1995.)

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Crab and Sweetcorn Soup

Posted in Asian, Food, Gruner Veltliner, Shellfish, Soup, tagged , , , , , , on 8 December 2012| Leave a Comment »

Crab & Sweetcorn Soup

This soup is absolutely delicious and super simple to throw together. We made a main meal out of it by serving it with some shop-bought spring rolls. Try and use freshly ground white peppercorns if you can as they give a subtle spiciness that works really well with the aromatic ginger.

Crab & Sweetcorn soup – to serve 4

  • 125g white crabmeat
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 tbsp cornflour, mixed with 2 tbsp water
  • 1.2 litres chicken stock
  • 2.5cm knob of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
  • 225g tinned sweetcorn, pulsed to a rough purée in a food processor
  • sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
  • 2 scallions, finely sliced

Lightly beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the egg whites to the crabmeat along with the blended cornflour and stir well.

Put the stock and ginger into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the sweetcorn and bring back to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for a few minutes. Add the crabmeat mixture and some seasoning. Let it simmer gently and keep stirring for a few minutes until the soup has thickened. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary. Serve in warm bowls with the scallions scattered over the top.

Wine Suggestion: We didn’t actually try this but, having discussed it at length, we reckon an Austrian Grüner Veltliner might work here. Grüner has a savoury peppery character which should complement the peppery flavour of the soup. You don’t want it to be too heavy though so go for one that is no higher than 12.5% alcohol.

(Original recipe from Gordon Ramsay’s World Kitchen: Recipes From the F Word, Quadrille.)

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Roasted Pumpkin and Thyme Soup with Gruyère Cheese

Posted in Food, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , on 12 November 2012| 3 Comments »

Try and find a tasty pumpkin (i.e. not one of the huge varieties grown to make lanterns) or failing that a butternut squash will do. This makes an absolutely delicious starter or  lunch served with some crusty bread.

Roasted pumpkin and thyme soup – to serve 4

  • 1.5kg unpeeled pumpkin, or butternut squash
  • sunflower oil
  • 40g butter
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • leaves from 4 small sprigs of thyme, plus a few extra to garnish
  • 1.2 litres vegetable stock
  • 150ml single cream
  • 75g Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas Mark 6.

Cut the pumpkin into chunky wedges and scoop out the fibres and seeds. Rub with oil, season well with salt and pepper and put into a small roasting tin, skin-side down. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender.

When the pumpkin has cooled down a bit, slice away and discard the skin and cut the flesh into small chunks.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and half the thyme leaves and cook gently for about 10 minutes or until very soft but not browned. Add the roasted pumpkin, any pumpkin juice from the plate, the stock and ½tsp of salt. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Leave the soup to cool slightly, then blend with the rest of the thyme leaves until smooth. Return to a clean pan and bring back to a gentle simmer. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve in warm bowls with a pile of grated cheese and a few thyme leaves in the centre.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s French Odyssey, BBC Books, 2005.)

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Potato Soup with Parsley Pesto

Posted in Food, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 31 October 2012| Leave a Comment »

This is a good soup for the dark nights. The parsley pesto will keep in the fridge for up to a month (put in a sterilised jar and cover with some olive oil) and makes a great pasta sauce.

Potato Soup with Parsley Pesto – to serve 6

  • 50g butter
  • 900g potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 850ml chicken or vegetable stock
  • 225ml milk (or half milk and half cream if you have it)

For the parsley pesto: 

  • small bunch of parsley, leaves chopped
  • 25g freshly grated Parmesan
  • 25g pine nuts
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 100ml extra virgin olive oil

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the potatoes and onion, toss until well coated and season. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Pour in the stock and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 15-20 minutes.

Put all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor and whizz until evenly chopped and smooth. Add the oil and a pinch of salt.

Liquidise the soup until smooth, then add the milk. Adjust the seasoning and serve with some parsley pesto drizzled over the top.

(Original recipe by Rachel Allen in BBC Good Food Magazine, October, 2006.)

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Tom Yam Gai

Posted in Asian, Chicken, Food, Soup, tagged , , , , on 24 October 2012| 1 Comment »

We highly recommended this hot, sour and fragrant soup for head colds and other ailments. It probably won’t cure you but it will make you feel better for a short while.

Tom yam gai – to serve 2

  • 1 skinless chicken breast
  • 1 litre fresh chicken stock
  • 4 scallions, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 stalk of lemongrass, chopped into short lengths and slightly crushed
  • 3 small red chillies, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 4 lime leaves
  • 1 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Bring the chicken breast to the boil in the stock, then turn the heat down to simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked, then remove, shred and set aside.

Add the scallions, garlic, lemongrass, chillies and lime leaves to the broth and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the fish sauce, sugar and shredded chicken and keep cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and adjust the seasoning. Make sure the soup is piping hot and stir in the coriander just before serving.

(Original recipe from Nigel Slater’s Real Food, Fourth Estate, 1998.)

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Sweetcorn & Haddock Chowder

Posted in Fish, Food, Soup, tagged , , , , , on 5 October 2012| Leave a Comment »

Sweetcorn season is coming to an end but there is still time to make this tasty main course soup.

Sweetcorn & Haddock Chowder – to serve 4

  • 25g butter
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 8 slices of smoked streaky bacon, chopped
  • 3 medium potatoes, diced
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • 2 corn cobs, kernels sliced off
  • 500g skinless smoked haddock, cut into small chunks
  • 5 tbsp double cream
  • handful of parsley, chopped

Melt the butter in a large pot. Fry the onion and bacon for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add the potatoes and cook for another couple of minutes, then pour in the stock and simmer until the potatoes are just tender (about 8 minutes).

Add the corn kernels and smoked haddock. Cook for another few minutes before adding the cream and some black pepper. Add salt if necessary but remember the fish is pretty salty, then stir through the parsley. Serve with crusty bread.

Wine Suggestion: We’ve been having a bit of a debate about this as many white wines could be intimidated or even clash with the smoked fish. We suggest going for a white wine that’s a bit more fruity than what you might pair with an unsmoked fish. Think a Riserva level Pinot Grigio rather than a Muscadet and you should have a treat.

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Red pepper and Wensleydale soup

Posted in Food, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , on 8 August 2012| 1 Comment »

A tasty and filling summer soup. We couldn’t get Wensleydale so used Lavistown, a similarly crumbly Irish variety as recommended by Darius at the cheese counter.

Red pepper and Wensleydale soup – to serve 2

  • olive oil
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 red pepper, roughly chopped
  • 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 200ml vegetable stock
  • 100g Wensleydale (or other crumbly cheese), crumbled
  • a handful of basil, torn

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan. Cook the onion, garlic and pepper on a gentle heat until soft. Add the tomatoes, purée and stock then bring to a simmer.

Cook for 20 minutes then blend but leave a bit of texture. Reheat with a splash more stock or water if necessary to thin it a bit. Stir in most of the cheese and basil and serve with a bit more cheese and basil sprinkled over the top.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Spicy Tomato and Couscous Soup

Posted in Food, Healthy, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , on 17 June 2012| Leave a Comment »

There’s hardly any couscous used here but it still manages to transform this into a really wholesome soup.

Spiced tomato and couscous soup – to serve 4

  • olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 diced carrots
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 2-3 tbsp harissa paste (depending how spicy you like it)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 500ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tin chickpeas
  • 2 tbsp couscous
  • handful of parsley, chopped

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan and cook the onion, carrot and celery for a few minutes until starting to soften. Stir in the harissa and cumin. Add all the other ingredients except the couscous and stir, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the couscous and simmer for another 5 minutes, then stir in the parsley just before serving.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)


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Pea and Mint Soup

Posted in Food, Healthy, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , on 3 June 2012| 1 Comment »

Finally we have warm enough weather to stop thinking about soup so much. This is more of a warm weather soup. Nice and light with really fresh flavours. You can even eat it chilled if you like.

Pea and Mint Soup – to serve 4

  • 1 bunch scallions, roughly chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
  • 850ml vegetable stock
  • 900g fresh peas in their pods – you should get around 250g peas (or use frozen)
  • 4 tbsp chopped fresh mint
  • large pinch caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
  • 150ml buttermilk or soured cream

Put the scallions, garlic, potato and stock in a large pot and bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potato is very soft.

Blanch 3 tbsp of the shelled peas in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, drain, put in a bowl of cold water and set aside to use as a garnish at the end.

Add the rest of the peas to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the mint, sugar and lemon/lime juice, then blend until smooth. Stir in the buttermilk or soured cream and season and reheat gently if necessary (don’t let it boil though or it might curdle). Garnish with the drained peas to serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Cream of Tomato Soup

Posted in Food, Healthy, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 28 May 2012| 4 Comments »

We’ve made a few quick tomato soups recently so we should maybe describe this as a slow one. This takes about 40 minutes but is worth it and gives a much more home-made flavour, super-healthy too.

Cream of tomato soup – to serve 4

  • 2 tbsp light olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 large carrot, chopped
  • 500g plum tomatoes
  • 200ml passata
  • 400ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 large sprig of thyme
  • a small handful of basil leaves (if you have them)
  • 100ml single cream

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion, garlic and carrot over a low heat fro 6-7 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, passata, stock, bay leaf and thyme, then bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and thyme stalk. Season and add the basil. Whizz until smooth with a hand blender, stir in the cream and serve.

(Original recipe by Annabel Karmel in BBC Good Food Magazine, May 2004.)

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Superhealthy Minestrone

Posted in Food, Healthy, Soup, tagged , , , , on 14 May 2012| 1 Comment »

Really good for you, low fat and fills you up.

Minestrone – to serve 4

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 2 celery sticks, sliced
  • 850ml chicken stock
  • 2 large tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
  • handful of spinach, chopped
  • 400g tin red kidney beans, drained
  • 25g small pasta shells (or any other small pasta shape)
  • 1 small courgette, diced
  • 2 tbsp basil

Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.

Add the stock, tomatoes, spinach, beans and pasta. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the courgettes and continue to cook with the lid on for another 5 minutes.

Take off the heat, stir in the basil and season with lots of black pepper.

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Spicy Tomato Soup

Posted in Food, Healthy, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , on 5 May 2012| Leave a Comment »

We’re officially on a diet 😦 but we’re trying to turn it into an opportunity and cook lots of tasty, healthy stuff. We can’t back out either as we’re in a little competition with some of our friends… a bit like weight watchers, just as humiliating but not as expensive! So for the next 6 weeks you can expect lots of low-calorie recipes. If you’re also struggling to fit into your summer clothes you might like to join us.

Spicy tomato soup – to serve 2

  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • a pinch of chilli flakes
  • 2 tbsp red lentils
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • large handful of coriander, chopped
  • natural yoghurt, to serve (only if you have some)

Put all the ingredients (except the coriander and yoghurt) in a pot, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the lentils are soft. Add the coriander and cook for a minute. Use a stick blender to roughly whizz together. Stir in a little natural yoghurt to serve if you like that sort of thing.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Potato & Leek Soup

Posted in Food, Irish Food, Potato, Soup, tagged , , , , , on 1 May 2012| 1 Comment »

Wholesome and heart warming lunch when family drop by. We like to only partially blend or soups sometimes as it gives a great smooth consistency and keeps some of the flavoursome lumps.

Leek and potato soup – serves 6-8

  • 2 carrots
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • 2 medium onions
  • 400g leeks
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 400g potatoes
  • olive oil
  • 2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes

Peel and roughly chop the carrots and onions and slice the celery and garlic. Quarter the leeks lengthways and cut into 1cm slices.

Put a large pot over a high heat and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add all the chopped and sliced ingredients and mix well, then cook for 10 to 15 minutes, partially covered, until the carrots have softened and the onions have started to turn golden.

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 cm dice. Add 1.8 litres of boiling water to the stock cubes, then add to the vegetables along with the potatoes.

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on.

Season and serve or blend until smooth, or give it a half-hearted whizz like we did.

(Original recipe from Jamie’s Ministry of Food by Jamie Oliver, Penguin 2008.)

 

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