Solitary chicken - need advice

[abwsco]

Is there a thread with just soup recipes on? Have had a quick look but couldn't see one. If there isn't could we do one as I could do with some inspiration. Thanks

[Snowy]

I'm afraid I use whatever I have to hand for soup. The main thing is to use a good stock base. Yesterday we had leftover beef cobbler and oven roast veggies, pureed with some added beef stock. Lovely - although it did go an alarming pink colour at one point as there was some beetroot in with the veggies

 

Had lunch at Blickling Hall in Norfolk last week - had a mushroom, celery and garlic soup. Absolutely gorgeous!

[Egluntyne]

I do what Snowy does. we call it Fridge Soup.....and it is never the same twice.

 

My fave soup recipe is Watercress. I make it in the pressure cooker.

 

2 bunches watercress

1 onion. chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 large potato (Baking sized) ( or 6-8 small)

3/4 pint water or stock

Smidge of olive oil

 

Fry onions and garlic in olive oil.

Dice potato and add. Allow to cook for a minute or two.

Add water/stock and watercress

Bring up to pressure and cook for 5 mins.

Release pressure.

Blitz

Taste and add salt and freshly ground pepper.

 

Divine.

[Clur]

My fav is tomato and basil soup - I lightly fry some onion, put it in the slow cooker (but a pan or pressure cooker would be good too), add some finely chopped celery, tins of tomatoes, some fresh tomatoes peeled and de-seeded, a little sugar, herbs. Cook till warmed through then stir through some fresh chopped basil just before serving. You can also add fresh cream at this point too!

[Cinnamon]

I pull all the useable meat off a roast chicken carcass, then make a stock from the remaining bones.

 

Then I chop the meat up & pop it into the stock along with a few veggies (onion,leek,swede,carrots,pots) add some seasoning & let it bubble away.

You can add pearl barley to make it more thick & stewy,or dumplings if you like

[Looney]

I make "bottom-of-the-fridge" soup too!

 

For vegetable soup, I find that sweating the veggies in butter first (rather than oil) makes the soup nicer. We often end up with variations on carrot and coriander!

[..lay a little egg for me]

I make "bottom-of-the-fridge" soup too!

 

For vegetable soup, I find that sweating the veggies in butter first (rather than oil) makes the soup nicer. We often end up with variations on carrot and coriander!

 

Sweating the veggies in butter is a must. Also, using a mixture of milk and stock rather than just stock makes a nice variation, particularly if you are liquidizing the soup.

 

Bottom of the fridge soup (don't liquidize) + big dollop of pesto + some small pasta = minestrone!!

[redhotchick]

I do what Cinammon does, but always add a whole clove of garlic or two, and quite often some finely sliced chilli. My favourite 3 veg to use are celery, onion and carrot, diced and sauted before adding to the stock.

 

Potato and leek soup is easy to make, as is Butternut squash with sweetcorn. If you want the recipes I will post them for you.

[abwsco]

Thanks everyone and yes please Cathy

Potato and leek soup is easy to make, as is Butternut squash with sweetcorn. If you want the recipes I will post them for you.

 

I've currently got a vegetable soup with pearl barley and lentils on the go in my slowcooker. Cheated for the veg though as I bought some nice "soup mix" from my local greengrocers. I've just needed to add potato to it

[SarahJo]

Don't forget pumpkin soup - if you are carving one.

 

I use the flesh, add onions, garlic, veg stock, some red thai chilli paste, tin of coconut milk - chilli flakes (if needed - depends how hot you like it). Sweat the onions add the pumpkin then thai paste etc - let simmer for say 40mins, liquidise and voila.

 

Do not have an official recipe - just make it up as I go along, but this is nice. Can freeze - add cream on serving if you want to calm it down a bit, good with warm naan bread

[chelsea]

I made the most delicious soup at the weekend, it wasnt anything fancy it just tasted the nicest soup I've ever made (and I do make soup a lot as its cheap and can cover us for 2-3 days meals).

 

I made Jamie Olivers english onion soup, and served it with crusty welsh rarebit. yum.

 

When i cooked down the onions I left the lid on the stockpot and just left them on a low heat simmering for about 50 minutes until they were dark brown which I think added to the flavour. (lots of garlic in it aswell).

 

We also like roasted tomato soup too, again really easy - bung a load of tomatoes, garlic and herbs in the oven till roasted - take out, blitz and add stock.

[redhotchick]

Butternut Squash and Sweetcorn Soup.

This is derived from a recipe in Delia's Soup book and I have put her quantities in brackets

A butternut squash (700g)

A tin of sweetcorn (570g)

25g butter plus 1 tsp for toasting the sweetcorn

One medium onion, finely chopped

One clove of garlic (not in the original recipe)

About half a pint of milk (275ml)

A pint of vegetable or chicken stock (725ml)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Melt the butter in a 3 pint saucepan, add the onion and soften for 8 minutes.

If using the garlic add after 6 minutes.

Add the chopped butternut squash (or pumpkin) and half the sweetcorn

Stir, season with S&P, put the lid on and put on a low light to allow the vegetables to release their juices, about 10 minutes.

Add the milk and stock and simmer for 20 minutes, put the lid on but leave a gap and watch it doesn't boil over (because of the milk)

Meanwhile melt the teaspoon of butter and mix with the remaining sweetcorn, toast under a preheated grill about 3 inches away from the grill, stir it around untill it is nicely brown.

Allow the soup to cool a little before blending in a liquidiser, but not too much as you want it to keep some texture.

Return to the pan and reheat to serve, sprinkled with the toasted sweetcorn.

 

Well that's Delia's method anyway. I tend to bake a butternut squash whole in the oven while it is on for something else. (It will keep in the fridge for a day or two) Peel and chop up the now soft squash, add to the softened onion and garlic in a pan. Add stock. Simmer. Mash with a potato masher. Add as much sweetcorn as you like. Season with s&p. Add milk to give the desired level of creaminess you require. I don't toast the sweetcorn, but do serve the soup with lots of freshly ground black pepper. If you like nutmeg you can add this whilst it's simmering. Nutmeg goes really well with pumpkin.

 

[AMS]

My hubby makes very good soup - scotch broth, curried parsnip and roasted butternut squash & sweet potato are three of my favourites

 

Alison

[abwsco]

Thanks again everyone More yummy soups to try out.

 

My soup tastes lovely BUT the whole house smells of cabbage now

[redhotchick]

This is from Delia's Soup book too.

Leek. Onion and Potato Soup.

Serves 4 - 6

4 large leeks

1 medium onion, chopped small

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2oz butter

850ml vegetable stock

275ml milk

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Optional - cream or cream fraiche and chives for decoration.

 

Trim the leeks, discarding the outer layer.

Slice them in half lengthways, slice finely and wash thoroughly. Drain well.

In a large, heavy based pan, gently melt the butter.

Add leeks, onions and potatoes, stirring well to coat with butter.

Season with S&P

Put a lid on and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes

Add stock and milk, bring to simmering point.

Cover and simmer very gently for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.

Because there is milk in it, watch it doesn't boil over.

Allow to cool slightly before blending to a puree.

Reheat before serving, add a swirl of cream and sprinkle with chopped chives.

 

I don't blend it, I like a bit of texture so I just use my potato masher!

You could blend half and mix it together, it depends how you like it!

I don't decorate it either, although I might if I was serving it to friends.

[Mrs Webmuppet]

Butternut Squash Soup

 

One butternut squash

vegetable stock ( equal to weight of squash ie 1 kilo squash =1 litre stock)

one onion

one clove garlic

curry powder to taste

 

 

Peel & chop squash, peel & slice onion and garlic. Soften garlic and onion in a little oil. Add squash and then stock and curry powder. Boil until squash is soft. Liquidize, EAT (freezes well too).

 

or Leek and Potato soup

 

Equal weight onions to Leeks

vegetable stock

 

 

Peel and cube potatoes, prepare leeks and slice. Fry gently in a little oil. Add stock & boil until soft. Liquidize.

[Egluntyne]

I make a Roast Butternut Squash and Chili soup that is very similar in method, Mrs W. I roast the squash, skin on, having rubbed the chunks with olive oil and sprinkled a small amount of chili flakes, then proceed as you have done, minus the cury powder.

 

Very warming.

[Egluntyne]

Just made a variant on my own theme (see above) and very nice it was too.

 

Butternut Squash, split yellow pea and Spinach Soup.

 

Butternut squash

Red Chili

Onion finely chopped

Large clove garlic finely chopped

4tbsp yellow split peas. ( I meant to use red lentils but didn't have any)

1 & 1/2 pints good veg stock

 

Roast butternut squash chunks with 1/2 a finely chopped red chili scattered over it in olive oil till nicely browned and cooked through.

 

In base of pressure cooker, fry onion and garlic in a little olive oil till transparent and just beginning to turn golden.

 

Add Yellow Split peas and stock.

 

Bring up to max pressure and cook for 10 mins ( to zapp the yellow split peas).

 

Reduce pressure, add butternut squash chunks and 2 good handfuls of spinach.

 

Bring back up to max pressure for 2 mins and then reduce pressure.

 

Blitz and add salt and freshly ground pepper.

 

Yum. Even though it evolved by accident, I would definitely make it again.

[Cinnamon]

I made a 'sort of' Minestrone last night & it was gorgeous.

In fact I have just had leftovers for lunch

 

I fried some Pancetta until golden,then added 1 chopped onion,a couple of sticks of celery,a couple ofchopped courgettes, & fried them off for a while

 

Then I added a few chopped pots & a small cauilflower,broken up, added enough water to cover & cooked for a half hour or so.I threw in some Bouillon too,for good measure.

 

It was really lovely with a sprinkle of parmesan on top & french bread to dip.