Tag: soup

[recipe] Roasted pumpkin soup

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pumpinsoup

1kg pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cut into 1cm pieces
800g carrots, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces
60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
2 brown onions, halved, thinly sliced
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp chilli powder (optional)
1L (4 cups) salt-reduced vegetable stock
500ml (2 cups) water
Natural yoghurt, to serve
Bought naan bread, warmed, to serve

Preheat oven to 210°C. Line a large roasting pan with non-stick baking paper. Place pumpkin and carrot in lined pan. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of oil and toss to coat. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until golden and tender.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion. Season with salt. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes or until soft. Add mustard seeds, coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli powder, if desired. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until aromatic and the mustard seeds start to pop.

Add the pumpkin, carrot, stock and water. Increase heat to medium. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover. Set aside for 15 minutes to cool slightly.

Blend until smooth.

Place over low heat and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until heated through. Ladle among serving bowls. Top with a dollop of yoghurt and stir to create a swirled effect. Serve with naan bread.

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[recipe] Chicken corn chowder

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chowder

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
  • 1 red pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds and membrane removed
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced or cooked chopped ham
  • 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3 ears of fresh corn kernels or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
  • 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
  • 4 oz. softened cream cheese
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

  1. Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute celery, pepper, onion and jalapeno until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ham; cook for another 3 minutes. Whisk the broth with the flour in a liquid measuring cup or bowl and then stir into the soup. Stir in the corn and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat.
  2. Whisk together the cream cheese and milk in a large bowl until smooth (I had a difficult time getting my cream cheese to completely whisk into the milk so my soup had some minor small lumps but next time, I’ll soften the cream cheese until almost melted in the microwave).
  3. Whisk the cream cheese/milk mixture into the soup along with the salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Simmer on low until ready to serve.
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[Recipe] Won ton soup

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The name won ton means swallowing a cloud, and the wonton floating in this popular soup are thought to resemble clouds. This recipe for Won ton soup serves 4. You can get most of the ingredients in a good asian supermarket. Get frozen won ton wrappers, they cost next to nothing and will save you a lot of hassle.

won ton wrappers
1/2 pound boneless lean pork, chopped finely
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine, mirin or rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 green onion, finely minced
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 dashes of pepper
1 small knob of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl, mixing well. Lay one won ton skin in front of you. Cover the remaining won ton skins with a damp towel to keep them from drying out.

Filling the won tons:

Moisten all the edges of the won ton wrapper with water. Place a heaping teaspoon of won ton filling in the center. Fold the won ton wrapper in half lengthwise, making sure the ends meet. Press down firmly on the ends to seal.

wonton1

Use thumbs to push down on the edges of the filling to center it.

wonton2

Keeping thumbs in place, fold over the won ton wrapper one more time.

wonton3

Push the corners up and hold in place between your thumb and index finger.

wonton4

Wet the corners with your fingers. Bring the two ends together so that they overlap. Press to seal.

wonton5

The finished product should resemble a nurse’s cap.

wonton6

Repeat with remaining won tons.

Here’s a video with a similar way to fold won tons:

Boiling the won tons:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the won tons, making sure there is enough room for them to move about freely. Let the won tons boil for 5 – 8 minutes, until they rise to the top and the filling is cooked through. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon.

To make the soup:

Bring the 1L of chicken stock to a boil. Add the won tons and bring the soup back to a boil. Add the green onion, remove the pot from the heat. Ladle into soup bowls, allowing 6 won tons per person.

Optionally, you can also add sliced bok choi and thinly sliced red pepper to the stock.

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[Recipe] Onion soup

Posted on By admin 5 Comments on [Recipe] Onion soup

Ingredients

1kg onions, cut into slices
2 pints beef stock
1 cup white wine
1 tsp sugar
olive oil
mozarella or gruyere cheese
crusty bread

Prep

In a large pot on high heat, add oil, onions and sugar and sautee for 5 minutes (until the edges of the onions start to blacken a bit). Reduce to minimum heat and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After that time, you'll be left with nicely browned onions and a good coating of flavour on the bottom of the pan. Deglaze gently with the white wine and add the beef stock. Let simmer for 1 hour.

Toast some crusty bread to make large croutons. Distribute soup into over-proof bowls. Top with croutons and cheese and broil until the cheese is golden.

Serve immediately.

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[Recipe] Lasagna Soup

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1 pound sausage meat
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 large tin crushed tomatoes
1 large tin tomato sauce
1 cup dry large-shaped pasta
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
4 ounces diced provolone cheese
1 ounce fresh grated Parmesan cheese

In a dutch oven over medium-high, add sausage and cook until browned – crumble the sausage as you go with a wooden spoon. Add the onions and carrots – cook 3 minutes. Mix in the basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper – cook 1 minute. Pour in the broth, crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and add in the pasta. Simmer soup until the pasta has cooked. Mix in the fresh spinach and cook until wilted – about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

To serve – place 1 ounce of diced provolone in the bottom of 4 bowls. Evenly divide the soup between the 4 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan and basil.

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[Recipe] I'm in the mood for chowder

Posted on By admin 8 Comments on [Recipe] I'm in the mood for chowder

Which recipe should I do?

Smoked haddock, bacon and mussel chowder

Ingredients
6-8 rashers good quality smoked streaky bacon, cut into strips
450g un-dyed smoked haddock, skinned, pin-boned and cut in to bite-sized pieces
900g potatoes (floury), peeled and cut into 2cm/cubes
450g mussels, cleaned, steamed in white wine and shelled
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
85g unsalted butter
290ml full-fat milk
splash of double cream
water
mussel liquor, strained
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced and finely grated zest

Method
1. Sweat the bacon, onions, potatoes and carrots in butter in a large heavy bottom casserole pan on a moderate temperature, until the vegetables become translucent.
2. Add the mussel liquor, water and a pinch of sea salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the haddock and poach together for 15 minutes.
3. Gently, add the milk and cream and stir until smooth. Add the lemon juice and zest and taste for seasoning. To finish, add the mussels, black pepper and flatleaf parsley.

Chunky Seafood chowder

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
110g streaky bacon, rind removed, cut into 5mm in dice
175-225g onions, chopped
25g flour
850ml homemade fish stock or, if no fish stock, water
425ml milk
bouquet garni made up of 6 parsley stalks, 2 sprigs of thyme and 1 bay leaf
6 medium-sized potatoes cut into 5mm in dice.
salt and freshly ground pepper
pinch of mace
pinch of cayenne pepper
700g haddock, monkfish, cod or other firm white fish (or a mixture), free of bones and skin
150ml single cream
450gmixed cooked shellfish – mussels, clams, scallops, shrimps or prawns and the cooking liquor.

To garnish
freshly chopped parsley and chives

To serve
Crusty bread and butter

Method

1. Heat the oil in a stainless-steel saucepan and brown the bacon well until it is crisp and golden.
2. Add the onion, cover and sweat for a few minutes over a low heat.
3. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the fish stock or water gradually.
5. Add the milk, bouquet garni and potatoes.
6. Season well with salt, pepper, mace and cayenne.
7. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked, approximately 5-6 minutes.
8. The chowder may be prepared ahead to this point.
9. Cut the fish into 2.5cm /1in cubes.
10. Add to the pot as soon as the tip of a knife will go through a potato.
11. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, stir in the cream and add the shellfish.
12. Add any liquor obtained from opening the mussels or clams.
13. When boiling, remove from the heat.
14. Taste, correct the seasoning and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and chives.
15. Serve in a deep dish with plenty of bread and butter.

Tip: Remember that the fish will continue to cook in the heat of the chowder so make sure it is not overcooked.

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