Category Archives: Soups

Mulligatawny Soup

Family Favourites, Soups

  • Quantities here are VERY flexible depending on the size of your pot and the number of portions. I have never been very good at making a half pot of anything! The basic ingredients however are as follows.
  • Oil
  • chopped onion
  • chopped celery
  • chopped carrot
  • curry powder (i have recently discovered schwartz crushed medium madras powder )
  • Chopped apple
  • chopped tomatoes
  • brown basmati rice if possible but white will work
  • a small amount of red lentils
  • chicken stock

Heat the oil in your soup pot. Sweat the onion celery and carrot for a few minutes then add the curry powder. Stir around for a few minutes then add all the other ingredients. Simmer for half an hour then check for salt and pepper. Thats it basically although I have been known to add chopped coriander if available.

Corn Chowder

Soups

  • Serves four
  • 2 cups sweetcorn-frozen is fine
  • 1 medium potato diced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 sweet potato diced
  • 1 grated carrot
  • 1/2 oz butter
  • 1 litre chicken stock

Heat butter in pan and add onion. Cook gently until soft but not coloured.
Add the two kinds of potato and 1 cup of corn with the chicken stock.
Simmer for about 20 minutes then liquidise.
Put the liquidised soup back into the pan and add the rest of the corn and the grated carrot. Simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Auld Grannies Chicken Soup

Family Favourites, Holidays, Soups, Starters

  • 3 Medium Carrots Chopped
  • 1 Large Leek Chopped – Include the Green
  • 2 Long Stalks of Celery Chopped
  • 1/2 New Turnip Chopped
  • 2 Medium Potatoes Chopped
  • 1 Medium Onion Chopped
  • 1 Medium Carrot Grated
  • 2 x Chicken Leg Quarters Small or 1 x Large
  • 3 x Chicken Stock Cubes
  • 1/2 – 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 4 Grinds of Black Pepper
  • 1/2 Handful of Chopped Parlsey
  • 1/2 Cup of Rice
  • 2 1/2 Litres of Water

Pour the water into the pan and add the stock cubes and the chicken pieces and start boiling.

Add all the chopped vegetables and the grated and chopped carrots, hold of with the rice just now and also the parsley.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Now add the rice and boil for a further 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken pieces and remove the meat from the bones, chop and put back in the soup.

Add the chopped parsley, adjust seasoning, add more water if it is too thick – remember you want a medium thick texture and the rice will probably puff up more so don’t think it may be too runny.

Spicy lentil soup

Hot & Spicy, Soups, Starters
  • For at least eight
  • 300gm red lentils
  • 2 litres chicken stock[made from cubes is fine]
  • 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 med carrots chopped
  • Thumb size piece of ginger sliced into small matchsticks
  • 2 med tomatoes chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves sliced
  • 1 teasp ground cumin
  • 1/2 teasp chilli flakes
  • 2 teasp med curry powder
  • salt and pepper to taste

Heat a tablespoonful of olive oil in a large pan and fry the onion garlic celery ginger and carrots for about 3 minutes. Add spices and continue to cook for 1 min. Add the stock tomatoes and lentils and bring to a gentle simmer for about 1/2 an hour. Taste for salt and pepper , liquidise and serve.

Spicy Chickpea & Squash Soup

Hot & Spicy, Soups

  • Olive oil
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 4 celery sticks finely sliced
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
  • 1 level teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 level teaspoon ground coriander
  • pinch of saffron
  • 1 or two fresh red chillies (depends how hot they are and how big) or you could use 1 level teaspoon dried chilli flakes
  • 2 butternut squash about 1.5 kg in all peeled and chopped into chunks
  • 1.2 litres chicken stock(cubes will do)
  • seasoning
  • 1 x400gm tin chickpeas or equivalent drained and rinsed
  • 150gm baby spinach leaves coarsly chopped

Heat a little oil in a large pan and fry onion and celery gently for a few minutes until softened. Add the garlic, spices, chilli and squash to the pan and stir about in the hot oil for a few seconds. Add the tomatoes, stock and seasoning and simmer for 20 minutes or so. use a pototo masher to squash the squash in the pan. On no account be tempted to liquidise as the texture will be ruined! Stir in the chickpeas and the spinach and simmer for a few minutes longer. Check seasoning and serve.