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Serves 6
This soup is equally delicious served hot or cold. Don't overcook the watercress,
or it will lose its color.
Ingredients:
2 oz butter
8 oz potato, diced
8 oz leek, chopped
3 bunches watercress, stalks removed
1 3/4 pints chicken stock, salt and pepper to taste, grated rind and juice of
1 lime 4 tablespoons cream watercress sprigs to garnish
1- Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the potato and leek, and cook gently for about 10 minutes until soft.
2-Meanwhile finely chop the watercress. Add the chicken stock to the pan, bring to the boil and add a pinch of salt. Add the watercress and simmer for 8 minutes.
3-Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
4-Return the soup to the pan. Add the lime rind and juice, check the seasoning and heat through.
5 - Transfer to individual soup plates, swirl in the cream and serve garnished with watercress.
Serves 6
This soup uses typical Thai ingredients- dried lemon grass and straw mushrooms-
available from larger supermarkets. Use button mushrooms, if you prefer.
27 pints chicken stock
2 tablespoons dried lemon grass
1 tablespoon grated lime rind salt to taste
3 tablespoons lime juice
¼ teaspoon chili paste
¼ teaspoon sugar
15 oz can straw mushrooms, drained
4 oz bean sprouts
1 bunch spring onions, thinly sliced
8 oz frozen prawns, defrosted
2 small red chilies, seeded and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons coriander leaves
1- Put the stock, lemon grass and lime rind in a large pan. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
2-Strain the stock and return to the pan. Season with salt, then add the lime juice, chili paste and sugar. Stir well
3- Add the mushrooms, bean sprouts and spring onions. Simmer for 1 minute.
4-Add the prawns and simmer for a few seconds to heat through.
5-Serve in individual bowls, sprinkled with chili slices and coriander leaves.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 oz butter
1 bunch spring onions, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 pints chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
10 oz frozen peas
1 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 pint water
8 lettuce leaves
1 oz mint leaves salt and white pepper to taste
4 fl oz cream
To garnish
Few lettuce leaves, shredded mint sprigs
1- Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the spring onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Stir in the chicken stock, salt and frozen peas. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
2-Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Return to the pan.
3- Put the sugar snaps, water, lettuce and mint leaves in a pan. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Puree in the food processor or blender, then sieve to remove any strings.
4-Add to the spring onion and pea mixture, stir in the cream, season and reheat.
5 - Serve garnished with lettuce and mint. Curried Pumpkin Soup Serves 4 To cook this soup ultra quickly in the microwave, cook the onion, garlic and oil on high for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients, except yogurt, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons oil 1 onion, chopped, 1 clove garlic, crashed 1 tablespoon mild carry paste 15 oz can pumpkin, drained 1 pint chicken stock salt and pepper to taste 4 tablespoons natural yogurt, coriander sprigs to garnish 1- Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until soft. Add the curry paste and cook for a few seconds, stirring. 2- Add the pumpkin and chicken stock. Stir well, season and simmer for 15-20 minutes. 3-Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Return to the pan, check the seasoning and reheat. 4- Transfer to individual soup plates, swirl in the yogurt and garnish with coriander.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 oz butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crashed
14 oz can pimientos, drained, rinsed and chopped
8 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 pint chicken stock, salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons snipped chives Croutons
2 slices white bread, crusts removed
2 tablespoons oil
1- Melt half the butter in a pan. Add the onion and 1 garlic and cook until
soft.
2- Add the pimientos and tomatoes, cover and cook gently for 10 minutes.
3-Add the wine, cook for 5 minutes, then add the stock and cook for 5 minutes.
4- Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Return the
soup to the pan, season and heat through.
5-To make the crotons, cut the bread into small cubes. Heat the remaining butter
and the oil in a frying pan, then fry the bread cubes until golden. Drain on
kitchen paper.
6- Transfer the soup to individual bowls and garnish with the chives and crotons
to serve.
Serves 4-6
Rocket is a salad leaf with a superb pungent, peppery taste. Substitute watercress,
if you can't obtain it.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons quality olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crashed
8 oz potato, diced
6 oz rocket; chopped
2 pints vegetable stock salt and pepper to taste 4 tablespoons freshly grated
Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed chilies (optional)
1-Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2-Add the potato and stir until coated in oil. Add the rocket, reserving a few leaves for garnish. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3-Heat the stock and add to the rocket mixture. Season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
4-Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan, and dried chilies if desired. Garnish with rocket leaves to serve.
A soup for garlic lovers! If haricot beans are unavailable, you can use canned
cannellini or flageolet beans instead.
2- 15 oz cans haricot beans
1 3/4 pints vegetable stock salt and pepper to taste
1/4 pint quality olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 oz chopped parsley
parsley sprigs to garnish
1 - Drain the haricot beans, rinse well and drain. Put half of them in a large pan with the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
2- Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth, adding a little water if the soup is too thick. Return to the pan, season and add the remaining whole beans. Reheat.
3 - Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a separate pan and fry the garlic slices until golden. Add to the soup with the remaining oil and chopped parsley.
4 - Serve garnished with parsley sprigs.
SERVES 4-6
Use small pasta stars or shells and cut the vegetables into small chunks to allow them to cook quickly. Red pesto contains sun-dried tomatoes - adding a delicious flavor to this hearty soup.
1 courgette, diced
2 oz potato, diced
2 oz onion, chopped \ 1 carrot, diced
8 oz can chopped tomatoes salt and pepper to taste
2 pints boiling water (approximately)
2 oz French beans, cut into 1 cm (1/2 inch) lengths
2 oz frozen petit pois
2 oz small pasta shapes
4-6 tablespoons red pesto
freshly grated Parmesan cheese to serve
1- Place the courgette, potato, onion, carrot and tomatoes in a large pan. Add seasoning and enough boiling water to cover generously. Simmer for 20 minutes.
2- Add the French beans, petit pois and pasta. Cook for 10 minutes until the pasta is tender. Check the seasoning.
3-Transfer the soup to individual soup plates, adding a tablespoon of pesto to each. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Serves 6
A pretty summer soup. Either make it well in advance to give adequate time to chill, or add a few ice cubes when serving.
2 cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic
1 green pepper, diced
1 1/4 pints chicken stock
l5 fl oz thick sour cream
8 fl oz natural yogurt
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
pepper to taste
TO GARNISH
Parsley sprigs diced cucumber and green pepper toasted flaked almonds
1- Place the cucumbers, garlic and green pepper in a food processor or bender with a little of the chicken stock. Puree until smooth, then add the remaining stock.
2- Put the sour cream and yogurt into a howl and stir in a little of the pureed mixture to thin.
3- Stir in the remaining mixture, and add the vinegar, salt and pepper. Chill.
4- Serve garnished with parsley and accompanied by howls of diced cucumber, green pepper and flaked almonds.
Serves 4
Chicken consomme gives this soup a good rich flavor, but you can use stock instead. Serve hot or chilled.
2 oz batter
8 oz fennel, thinly sliced
15 oz can chicken consomme
12 oz cooked beetroot, chopped salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped dill
4 tablespoons thick soar cream
TO GARNISH
dill sprigs
shredded cooked beetroot
1- Melt the butter in a pan. Add the fennel and cook gently until softened.
2-Add the chicken consomme and red wine. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the beetroot and cook for 10 minutes.
3-Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Season and stir in the dill.
4- If serving chilled, allow the soup to cool, then chill for several hours. If serving hot, reheat gently.
5- Add a spoonful of sour cream to each serving J and garnish with dill and beetroot.