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Soups
Soups, like salads, are generally underestimated. When we think about soup, we tend to think of the tinned soups, or the watery bilge that we were told was minestrone soup.
But soups are so much more than that!
I've still never managed to produce a creamy, rich, pea and ham soup like my mum used to make. Guess I'll just have to keep trying!
That said, I was never given the delicious soups that I encountered in Spain.
It's a pity, because they are so easy to make, healthy, incredibly tasty, filling, really, really economical, take little time to prepare, and not much more to cook.
Here, I will post recipes which I particularly like, but which you can adapt to your own personal preferences.
Lentils
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One of mankind's oldest food-stuffs, They are also one of mankind's most consumed foods.
The problem is that too many people try to re-invent them.
Take my advice, just keep it simple.
They are delicious!!!!
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For full recipe, click on side-bar menu 24/8/17
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Spicy Bean-Soup
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This falls into the same category as Chick-pea soup, ready in less than half-an-hour, and only requiring a handful of ingredients of your choice.
Spicy, filling, delicious and really economical.
What more could you ask for?
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INGREDIENTS
a jar of white beans,
300-500ml stock of your choice,
2 chilli peppers,
an onion,
vegetable mix (leek, parsnip, turnip, carrot etc.),
mixed sausages,
salt, olive oil,
dumplings (optional).
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STEPS
1)Drain and rinse the beans.
2)Peel and slice all the vegetables into smallish chunks (with the exception of the chillies).
Use the vegetables of your choice, or whatever you have in the fridge that is suitable.
3)Place the vegetables, beans, and the stock, into a medium/large pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables fall off a fork when pinched.
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4)Slice the chillies, then add them to a frying-pan with the mixed sausages and a drizzle of olive oil, then gently fry on a low flame until the sausages brown slightly.
5)Once fried, add the contents of the frying-pan to the stock, add the dumplings, and continue simmering.
The recipes for dumplings are on the "Tricks and Techniques" page.
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6)THAT'S IT, ALL THAT'S LEFT IS TO SERVE!!!
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Chick-peas
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I absolutely adore this recipe.
In about half-an-hour, you can transform a hand-full of basic ingredients, into a delicious, filling, and very economical meal.
Give it a go, you'll be amazed at just how good this is!
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For the full recipe, see my post "Seven times Chicken" of 10/3/17, just click on the slide-bar.
Cream of Chicken Soup with Kale and Croutons.
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Easy to make cream of Chicken soup, with the "vegetable of the moment", Kale, and croutons.
The Kale can be substituted with most other green vegetables, and given it's cost, and the dubious nature of it's acclaimed "unique nutritional qualities", that is exactly what I would do.
Not that there is anything wrong with the taste of Kale, it's just that it's not special enough to merit it's price.
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For the full recipe, see my post "Seven times Chicken" of 10/3/17, just click on the side-bar.
Cream of Vegetable Soup and Vegetable Stock
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Easy step-by-step guide to making a rich and tasty vegetable stock, and creamy vegetable soup.
Ideal for vegetarians, and a perfect alternative to meat stocks, this stock is full of flavour, works brilliantly with the chick-pea recipe, (and any other stock based soup) and empties your vegetable fridge compartment, something that we all need to do on occasions.
Try this! It's a lot better than throwing away your vegetables, and really is a doddle to make.
Cream of Chicken Soup and Chicken Stock
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Once you've made this soup, you'll never open a tin of soup again!
This is what a cream of soup should taste like.
Rich, thick and creamy, full of subtle flavours, a genuine delight!
As you may have guessed, I quite like this, and I haven't even started to tell you about the stock!
Just make it, I'll let you tell everyone how great it is!
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For the full recipe, see my post of 18/5/17 by clicking on the side-bar.
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