Squash & Pepper Soup

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Our first delivery of vegetables after our return from holiday contained two squashes. Jane mentioned that she loved these vegetables, this sparked me off to provide a delicious soup for my wife to enjoy at lunchtime. The question was what to put with it that she would like as well.

Red peppers to add some sweetness, potato for body and lentils for a bit of thickness. I also added cumin for additional flavour. Jane went got a baguette form around the corner and we were set.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 623 (156 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil (olive oil will do)
  • 2 red peppers, chopped
  • 1 medium potato, chopped
  • 1 whole squash, chopped
  • 1 tbsp of red lentils
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp of cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 vegetable stockpots
  • Add hot water to (level 1 in the soupmaker the higher one)

Method

  • Put all ingredients in the soup maker and set to smooth
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into the pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minute’s or so, then blend when done until smooth.
  • For a thinner soup add more water, for a thicker soup add less water.

Caldo Verde

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Following an episode of Rick Stein’s Long Weekend where he went to Lisbon in Portugal, I ended up wanting to try that famous Portuguese potato and cabbage soup. “Caldo Verde” is what I ended up making for my next venture into the soupy world.

Having been away myself in Europe, as mentioned in an earlier post, I was still itching to get back into the regular routine. I continued my routine by using cabbage in soup, something I rarely do as I am not a fan of it. However as I currently understand it, there is no definitive way to make this soup, so I did my best to create a Caldo Verde of my own.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 574 (144 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil (olive oil will do)
  • 3 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 large onion chopped (2-3 medium if you like onions)
  • 3 medium potato , chopped
  • 3 cabbage leaves (or similar, I’m not entering the kale debate)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the lower one)

Method

  • Put all ingredients in the soup maker and set to chunky
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into the pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minute’s or so, then blend when done until chunky.
  • For a thinner soup add more water, for a thicker soup add less water.
  • Optional (add fried and diced smoked bacon or the same using chorizo)

Purple Potato and Leek Soup

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Had some Violetta potatoes  in my fridge this week, I remembered a conversation with a friend to create a blue soup, so I experimented with these lovely looking purple potatoes and come up with a very basic soup. The Violette is a specialist variety of potato with a distinctive Blue skin and has Blue flesh inside the potato as well. Its very similar to Salad Blue 1900 ptotato.

As potatoes go they have a delicate sweet flavour, with a slightly floury flesh and they work very well in savoury dishes. They can be used in a mixed mash for a different look. The soup itself come out less colourful than purple, mainly die to the other ingredients, however its is still a delicious and comforting soup. This soup will be coming to work with us tomorrow.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 1006 (251 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil (olive oil will do)
  • 4 medium leeks chopped
  • 6 violetta purple potatoes chopped
  • 2 medium red onions chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 vegetable stockpots
  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the lower one)

Method

  • Put all ingredients in the soup maker and set to smooth
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into the pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minute’s or so, then blend when done until smooth.
  • For a thinner soup add more water or use level 2 in the soupmaker the higher one, for a thicker soup add less water.

Soup with a hint of Paprika

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I have been away for a holiday over six days in Europe and really missed my soup making. We went to Prague in the Czech Republic, Vienna in Austria and Budapest in Hungary. What a brilliant trip! Everywhere we went we encountered Paprika. Smoked, Sweet and Hot. It seems to be a mainstay for them in their cuisine.

You can follow my emerging travelpod by clicking here

So as soon as I arrived back home I dived into the fridge to have a sort out. What emerged was a basic mixture of vegetables, so this is what I came up with. A vegetable soup with a hint of paprika running through it, lovely.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 623 (156 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil (olive oil will do)
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 medium carrot chopped
  • 1 medium  onions chopped
  • 1 medium potato , chopped
  • 1 celery stick chopped
  • .5 leek chopped
  • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 splash of Worcester sauce
  • 1 tbsp of smoked paprika (hot or sweet to your taste)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 beef stockpots
  • Add hot water to (level 1 in the soupmaker the higher one)

Method

  • Put all ingredients in the soup maker and set to smooth
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into the pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minute’s or so, then blend when done until smooth.
  • For a thinner soup add more water, for a thicker soup add less water.

Black Bean and Cacao Soup

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I like a challenge and my friend David provided me one. “What can I do with this fair trade Cocoa Powder” he said “It was given to me at Christmas and its full of proteins and is, apparently, really good for you so I want to use it so can we make a soup with it,” he carried on. “Yes of course” I said.

Well we had been having a great afternoon full of conversation, drinking the occasional libation and eating Sunday dinner. I said give me a few days and will see what I can up with. The rest is history…..

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 784 (196 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil (olive oil will do)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1 celery sticks, finely chopped
  • 1.5 garlic clove
  • 1.5 tsp of ground cumin
  • 1 tsp of chili powder
  • 1 to 2 pinches of ground cayenne (add more or less to make it hotter or cooler)
  • 1 tbsp. of cocoa powder
  • 1.5 to 2 tins of black beans (El Paso do black beans)
  • a handful of chopped fresh coriander (save some for serving)
  • 1 cup of fresh or frozen sweetcorn (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 vegetable stockpot
  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the lower one)

Method

  • Put all ingredients in the soup maker and set to chunky, however for a creamier finish pulse it a few times after the cooking process finishes.
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into the pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minute’s or so, then blend when done until you have the correct consistency or creaminess for you.
  • For a thinner soup add more water, for a thicker soup add less water.
  • Optional – save some coriander to serve by sprinkling with fresh chopped coriander