Soup!

[Gemini]

For soup recipes and ideas!

[admin]

Here is my favourite recipe for pumpkin soup.

the flesh of one pumpkin

3 shallots, peeled

1 large onion (red onion gives a milder flavour)

1 potato

1 sweet potato

2 carrots

1 eating apple

2 pints vegetable stock

1 big tsp of cumin

salt & pepper

a little margarine or butter

nutmeg to taste

and if you like a little je ne sais pas quoi to it add the following pureed mix

quarter clove garlic

pinch chilli

2 tomatoes

Lightly saute the onion, shallots, carrots, apple and potatoes in a little bit of butter/marge till slightly softened

add the pumpkin and saute for a few minutes then add the veg stock, cumin salt & pepper

,

bubble it all up till the potato & carrot are soft then using a slotted spoon remove all the lumpy ingredients and bung them in a blender and whiz to a puree. Add back to the bubbling stock and re season adding the nutmeg and if you are having the spicier version, add the pureed garlic etc.

Goes really well with a big hunk of bread and enjoy!

[Qwerty]

I,ve just cooked 2 pts of leek and potato soup love it!!!!!!!

[Gemini]

Qwerty, I have a Morphy Richards soup maker, bought last winter. I love making soups in it, and leek and potato is on of my favourites

[Nana]

A friend never used her soup maker so she passed it onto me. No cookbook or instructions though. Any suggestions?

[Grauntie Mag]

I grew lots of butternut squash on my allotment one year and this is the delicious soup recipe I used.


3lb squash (I just used a squash regardless of weight.) to peel, stab and microwave for a few minutes, repeating until you can peel.
1 1/2 oz butter
1 med onion chopped
2 pts chicken stock
2 fl oz port if you like, I don't.
Peel squash, heat butter, sweat onion and squash with lid on until becoming tender.
Add stock and simmer until cooked. (30mins).
Purée and add seasoning and port if liked.

[Gemini]

Nana, I generally throw in any vegetables I have to hand, a few herbs, and make vegetable soups.
I sometimes make specific soups, like mushroom, broccoli and stilton, sweet potato and red pepper, etc. when I have more time I will post some recipes.

[Enfys]

I'm thinking of getting a soup maker, are they worth it do you think? Love thick hearty soup in the winter.

[Gemini]

Enfys, I'm not a gadget person, I think they tend to get put away in a cupboard, or gather dust on worktops!
The 2 gadgets which I researched before buying I use all the time and wouldn't be without. Those are my breadmaker and soup maker!
I definitely recommend getting a soup maker. Once your veggies or whatever you are using are chopped, it is 22 minutes from adding ingredients to the maker, to lots of lovely hot soup! I have only ever used the smooth setting, as I prefer smooth soups. There is a chunky option too, and you can make smoothies.
Washing it up is really easy too. I got mine from Amazon.

[Daisy]

Gem - what do you do if the recipe calls for, say, sweating or lightly frying onion/garlic before adding other ingredients and liquid?

[Enfys]

Daisy, I think you can get ones that sauté as well. Really thinking I "need" one now

[Gemini]

I would just ignore it Daisy, as I'm no gourmet cook Or you could do that in a pan first, then add the to the soupmaker. I bought a soup maker cook book on my Kindle,which is full of recipes specifically for using a soup maker.

[Pearl5]

I'm going to use Zizi's line now I WOOT... i always make soup in a pan but the soup maker sounds good, also want a bread maker now....

Changing the subject of soup, i need help on Yorkshire Puds, mine never rise to the way they should, or or quite heavy in the middle, i started using frozen yorkshires but there not as nice, I always make sure the oil is hot and cook in the middle of the oven but there always the same....pure disaster.....any tips please ladies...

[Gemini]

Even though I'm a Yorkshire lass, I use Aunt Bessies, and we like them fine
I bet Oma (or probably Mr Oma!) or Qwerty, will answer your question Pearl.

[Gemini]

I made some delicious soup for lunch today
I bought a bag of parsnips for 50 pence from the reduced counter at our local greengrocer. I added a carrot, an onion, a cup of leftover baked beans, a little black pepper and a Knorr vegetable stock pot. It was lovely!