Get your SOUP ON
Warm up this winter with a comforting bowl of homemade soup. While pre-packaged soups, instant soups, and canned soups are readily available, a soup made from scratch wins every time. Here are three of our favourite soup recipes to get your winter warmer arsenal started.
Butternut
Ingredients:
● 1 1⁄2 kg butternut cut into small cubes
● 2 large onions, diced
● 3 small garlic cloves, finely chopped or 1 1/2 Tbsp crushed garlic
● 500 ml chicken or vegetable stock
● 1 tsp lemon juice
● 250 ml of water
● 3 small strong green chilies finely chopped with seeds removed (optional)
● 1 1/2 Tbsp melted butter
● 250 ml fresh pouring cream
● drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and toasted pumpkin seeds for decoration
Method:
Method:
1. Peel and scoop seeds out of the butternuts, and chop it into small cubes and dice onions and garlic. Halve the green chillies and scrape out the seeds then dice finely.
2 In a large saucepan melt the butter and add the chopped vegetables except for the butternut. Cook over a moderate heat and cook until the onions are soft and transparent.
3. Add the lemon juice and chicken or vegetable stock and stir until well mixed.
4. Add the water and the cubes of butternut, and simmer for about an about 1 hour until the butternut is soft and the flavours are well combined.
5. Blend with a hand held blender.
6. Serve hot with a generous drizzle of olive oil, pouring cream and decorate with toasted pumpkin seeds.
Tomato
Ingredients:
● 2 Tbsp olive oil
● 1 large onion, diced
● 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
● 3 tsp crushed garlic
● 2 cans of diced tomatoes
● 1 Tbsp tomato paste
● 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped with a little extra for decoration
● 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
● 2 tsp sea salt or more to taste
● 1/4 tsp ground black pepper or more to taste
● 3/4 cup pouring cream
Method:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and carrots and allow to cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well.
5. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
6. Use a hand held blender and blend until pureed.
7. Return to the pot and gently stir in the pouring cream.
8. Season to taste with any additional salt and/or pepper and fresh basil leaves.
*Quick Tip: if you are looking to add a little spice to your tomato soup, dice 3 green chilies and add to the pot with the onions and carrots.
Chicken
Ingredients:
● 3 Tbsp butter
● 2 onions finely sliced
● 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
● 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
● 25g plain flour
● 1.2 litres of chicken stock
● 450g cooked chicken breast, skinned and shredded
● 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
● salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy based saucepan over a medium heat and gently fry the onions, celery and carrots until they begin to soften.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring as you pour to prevent and lumps from forming.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
4. Add the cooked chicken and cook until heated through. Adjust the seasoning, stir in the parsley and serve.
Soups are a hearty and honest dish whose rustic origins have given them a delightful, cosy feeling. Enjoy these three soups this winter and experiment to make your own.
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12 Apr 2019
Author Lillian Rencken