Tortilla Soup

The boys have been watching a serious amount of Food Network recently on the television and requested this after one particular programme.

Here in Australia, it can be hard to find the correct chillies to make this a truely authentic tortilla soup so I’ve improvised with what I can find.

I like to make a batch of chicken stock from chicken wings for this and then use the meat from the wings in the soup at the end, I love the no waste way it works!

I start this recipe by making a paste that has tonnes of flavour, using the same technique as I use for starting my curries off. By the time you have cooked he paste down you shoul have half to a third of the original quantity and it should be really thick.

With two chipotle chillies this is pretty spicy so play around with your chilli amounts, younger kids might like one chilli with the seeds removed.

Tonight I didn’t have any corn tortillas lying around so nachos did just as well!

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1-2 chipotle chillies in Adobe sauce, seeds removed

6 large roma tomatoes, quartered

80mls water

30mls olive oil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

4 teaspoons ground cumin

2 litres chicken stock

juice of 1 lime

EXTRAS

Chopped chicken

Sliced avocado

Grated cheese

Tortillas

Method

Using a stick blender, whizz up the onion, garlic, chipotle chillies and Adobe sauce, tomatoes and water.

Heat the oil over medium heat in your soup pan, once hot, pour in the tomato mix and cook down, stirring regularly, allowing the water to evaporate until you have a thick paste in the bottom of the pan.

Add the stock and bring up to the boil, add the lime juice.It’s now ready to serve, I fill the soup bowl with chicken, top with the soup, cheese, avocado and fried tortilla strips or nachos.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

This soup brings together two of my favourite things, the comforting hug that soup gives and the glow that using up leftovers guarantees!

I recently found an opened jar of rogan josh curry paste and as we are still on a bit of a health kick I wanted to use it in a vegetarian dish and not the meat that I would usually use. Added to that I am still trying to sneak pulses into the boys without them noticing too much and liquidised soup hides a multitude of goodies!

Quantities wise this makes a BIG pot, 12-16 serves depending on portion sizes but don’t panic, this soup freezes a treat to allow you a meal off another day!

Ingredients

50mls oil

2 medium red onions, peeled and roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

a thumb size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

100g rogan josh curry paste

2kg pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped

400g potatoes, peeled and diced

2 litres vegetable or chicken stock

150g  uncooked red lentils, rinsed and drained

Method

In a BIG pot, I use a 6litre pot.

Heat the oil and add the onion, cook slowly until soft.

Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Spoon in the curry paste, stir well and cook for three minutes.

Add the pumpkin and potatoes, stir through and cook for one minute.

Pour in the stock and add the lentils  stir well, cover and bring up to the boil.

Turn the heat down and allow to simmer, covered for 30 minutes.

Check that the potatoes are cooked at this stage, if not pop the soup back on the heat.

I then use a stick blender to whizz the soup until smooth, taste and season with salt and pepper.

 

 

 

Pumpkin And Parsnip Soup

A very smooth soup deserves some garlicky crispy crumbs to elevate it to something really quite fancy!

I use gluten free fresh bread that I crumb but use regular if you can.

Serves 12 and leftover soup freezes really well.

Ingredients

50mls olive oil

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

900g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and diced roughly

500g parsnips, peeled and diced roughly

275g potato, peeled and diced roughly

2 litres vegetable stock

salt and pepper

CRUMB TOPPING

100mls olive oil

4 garlic cloves, crushed

200g gluten free breadcrumbs

4 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

salt and pepper

Method

In a large stock pot or pan, heat the oil and cook the onion until soft.

Add the garlic and cook for one minute, add the pumpkin, parsnip and potatoes, stir well and then cover.

Allow the veg to sweat for 20minutes stirring occasionally.

Add the stock, salt and pepper and bring up to the boil, simmer gently for 30 minutes until all of the vegetables are soft.

Allow to cool a little and then whizz using a stick blender until smooth.

To make the garlicky crumbs, heat the oil in a frying pan, once hot add the garlic and cook over a medium heat for around one minute.

Add the breadcrumbs and cook until crispy.

Stir through the parsley, salt and pepper.

Sprinkle the garlic crumbs over each bowl of soup.

Dukkah

Dukkah, what can I say, one of my favourite ingredients for so many things!

On its own with bread and olive oil, as a crust for chicken and fish, spooned over salads, sprinkled over rice, popped into soups, sprinkled over a mashed avocado, added to an egg for breakfast and even sprinkled over the top of barbecued meat.

This is a totally non traditional recipe, no hazelnuts and no roasting of spices but it works for us and keeps in a jar for a couple of weeks so this is the minimum quantity that I make.

Ingredients

60g macadamia nuts

50g pistachio nuts

4 teaspoons sesame seeds

3 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

a pinch of ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons nigella seeds

a really good grinding of fresh ly ground pepper

salt to taste

Method

In a frying pan, toast the nuts until just beginning to colour. Tip onto a plate to cool.

In a large mortar and pestle, crush the nuts so that it’s mostly powdery with a few bigger pieces, don’t over do it or it will be oily and stick.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Taste and add a little more salt if needed.

Store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin And Garam Masala Soup

Comfort food in a bowl.

I was given some wonderful Mauritian garam masala by my lovely neighbours and this is a great way to let it shine.

As with most of my soups, I like to make a big batch and freeze half for another day.

Served with some naan or parathas this fills the boys up!

Serves 12.

Ingredients

30-45mls olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1kg pumpkin, peeled and roughly chopped

400g carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons garam masala

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 litres vegetable or chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon nigella seeds to finish or freshly ground pepper

Method

In a large soup pan or stock pot, heat the oil.

Add the onion, garlic and carrots and cook gently until the onion is soft.

Add the garam masala, cumin, coriander, chilli and turmeric and stir through, cook until fragrant.

Add the pumpkin and stock and bring up to a gentle simmer.

Simmer, covered for 30minutes until all of the vegetables are soft.

Remove from the heat and liquidise, I use a stick blender.

Check for seasoning.

Reheat gently to serve, spoon into bowls and sprinkle over some nigella seeds of freshly ground pepper.

Lentil And Tomato Soup

OK, bit of a cheat here!

I love sundried tomatoes, the flavour is so intense! By using them here you get a full on tomato flavour in a very hearty soup.

This recipe does make loads of soup, feel free to half but I make this quantity and freeze half for another day!

Serves 12-14.

Ingredients

60mls olive oil

2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

150g, drained weight, sundried tomatoes in oil

pinch of chilli flakes

2 tablespoons ground coriander

450g red lentils, rinsed

750mls passata

2.2 litres vegetable stock

4 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

Method

In a large stock pot or pan, heat the oil and gently cook the onions.

Once translucent, add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

Add the sundried tomatoes, chilli and coriander, stir through.

Add the lentils, passata, stock, tomato paste and vinegar. Combine well and bring up to a gentle simmer.

Simmer the soup for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking to the pan.

Allow to cool slightly and then using a stick blender, blend the soup.

Season well.

Asparagus And Pea Soup

Locally grown asparagus is back on the shelves in Western Australia, if only for too short a season. I have to make the best of it!

Along with dipping spears in runny eggs and cooking them on the barbecue this is another favourite of mine. Less so for the middle son who hates asparagus with a passion! So, I liquidise this soup for him and wave the bag of frozen peas around to avoid questions!

For the adults, I like to leave the the soup as is, the vibrancy of the greens is gorgeous!

Serves 10.

Ingredients

30mls olive oil

2 leeks, white part only, quartered lengthwise, cut into 1 cm chunks and washed

2 bunches fresh asparagus, around 400g, stalks cut into 1cm chunks, tops intact

400g frozen baby peas

1.8litres chicken or vegetable stock

salt and pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the leaks and soften over a medium heat for 10 minutes.

Add the stock and bring up to a simmer, add the peas and asparagus stalks, bring back up to simmer and cook for 3 minutes.

Check seasoning.

Ladle into warmed bowls and sprinkle over the asparagus tips.

Autumn Vegetable Soup

A very simple soup but so satisfying and healthy!

I liquidise the soup just to stop fussy children picking bits out but this is a very pretty soup and looks lovely as it is without the stick blender getting to it!

Serves 10.

Ingredients

Splash of olive oil

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

400g carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

400g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

300g parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped

500g beetroot, peeled and roughly chopped

a large sprig of parsley

2.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock

salt and pepper

parsley to garnish

Method

In a large pan, heat the oil over a medium heat, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until soft.

Add the garlic, carrot, potatoes, parsnip and beetroot and stir through.

Cover with the lid and allow to steam for 10 minutes.

Pour in the stock and bring up to the boil.

Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes until the veggies are soft.

Allow to cool a little and then blend with a stick blender.

Return to the heat and bring back to a simmer, season well.

Serve with a little parsley sprinkled over the top.

Cauliflower and Parmesan Soup With Garlicky Crumbs

A hug in a bowl!

This is comfort food at its best, cauliflower cheese meets garlic bread in a bowl and it is gluten free too, winner!

To make this extra cheesy I add Parmesan heels!

Every time I buy a piece of Parmesan I cut off the hard outer edge, the heel, and throw it in a  labelled bag in the freezer. When making soups and sauces that need an extra hit of cheese I throw a few heels in. For this large pan of soup I added 6 heels.

The garlic crumb goes really well with this soup but if you fancy some meat, try adding some crispy bacon as a garnish.

Makes 5 litres of soup. The soup freezes well too, hence the quantities that I make!

Ingredients

50g butter

2 onions, diced

400g potatoes, peeled and diced

1 large cauliflower head, around 1.6kg, stalk and leaves removed, broken into 3-5cm pieces.

2 litres chicken or vegetable stock

200g Parmesan, finely grated

200mls cream

500mls milk

CRUMB

1 tablespoon olive oil

50g fresh gluten free or regular breadcrumbs

5g flat leaf parsley, chopped finely

1/2 clove of garlic, chopped finely

Method

In a large pan or stock pot, heat the butter over a medium heat.

Once melted, add the onion and potato, stir well and cook until the onion is translucent.

Add the stock, heels and cauliflower, bring up to the boil and simmer, covered, until the cauliflower is well cooked, 15-20mins.

Remove from the heat and fish out the heels and dispose of them, my chooks love them!

Using a stick blender process the soup until it is smooth.

Add the Parmesan, cream, milk and seasoning, reheat, gently stirring regularly.

While the soup is warming, heat a small frying pan over a high heat, add the oil and once hot add the breadcrumbs, parsley and garlic, cook quickly until crispy.

Cream of Carrot Soup With Garlic and Fresh Thyme

Soup is such a comfort on a cold evening!

By adding potatoes to the soup you don’t need to use as much cream to get a smooth creamy consistency and I swear it fills my boys more.

I always make this quantity and freeze half for another day.

Serves 12.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.5 kg carrots, peeled and chopped into discs

2 onions, diced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1-2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1.8litres chicken or vegetable stock

200mls cream

salt and pepper

Method

In a large pan or stock pot, heat the oil over a medium heat and add the carrots, onions and potatoes, stir well and cover to allow the vegetables to sweat.

Once the onion is cooked add the garlic and thyme leaves and cook for 2 mins, stirring regularly so the vegetables don’t catch on the base of the pan.

Pour in the stock and bring up to a simmer.

Simmer until all of the vegetables are cooked.

Take the pan off the heat and using a stick blender, process the soup until smooth.

Add the cream, season and reheat gently.

Serve with a few thyme leaves sprinkled over.