Tag: Soup Recipes

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Seafood Vegetable Soup

It will be hard to outsmart this seafood soup with vegetables which covers two courses of the menu in one bowl!

Prep time       20 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes

Soup base
15 g butter
125 ml chopped onion
125 ml chopped leek or additional onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
250 ml peeled and diced potato (1 x ± 200 g potat0)
500 ml water
1 bay leaf
2 ml salt
5 ml chicken or vegetable stock powder
2 ml dried origanum or mixed dried herbs
pinch grated nutmeg
good pinch white pepper
good pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
125 ml cream or coconut cream

Seafood mix
500 g fish and seafood including:
± 125 g boneless, skinless hake or any favourite white fish
125 ml white wine or water
± 125 g cleaned prawns
± 125 g cleaned calamari tubes or rings
± 125 g cleaned mussels

Vegetable mix
± 600 ml vegetables including:
50 ml corn kernels (fresh, frozen or canned and drained)
50 ml peas (fresh or frozen)
50 ml finely diced carrot (fresh or frozen)
50 ml finely diced celery
50 ml white button mushrooms, sliced or diced (optional)
15 g Butter
25o ml water
50 ml finely shredded baby spinach (fresh or frozen)
50 ml snipped spring onion
black pepper for serving

  1. Place the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion, leek, garlic and potato. Stir and cook gently for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the water, bay leaf, stock powder, herbs, nutmeg, salt, white and cayenne pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
  3. Remove the bay leaf and blend the soup base with a stick blender until quite smooth.
  4. Stir in the cream or coconut cream and remove from heat.
  5. Dice the fish and place in a second saucepan with the wine or water.
  6. Bring to boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
  7. Rinse the remaining selected seafood and add to the saucepan. Bring to boil and remove from heat.
  8. Place the corn, peas, carrot, celery and mushrooms if used in a third saucepan and add the butter. Cook and stir over moderate heat for 5 minutes and add the water.
  9. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
  10. Add the prepared fish, vegetables, spinach and spring onion to the soup base.
  11. Stir to combine and reheat over moderate heat until the soup almost starts to boil.
  12. Serve warm.

6 to 8 servings.

Recipe by Carolié de Koster.

Seafood vegetable soup

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Orange and Carrot Soup

A light, refreshing soup with a hint of spice.  The carrots can be substituted with butternut or orange sweet potato for an interesting twist.

15 ml olive oil
2 medium leeks or 25o ml onion, finely sliced
1 kg carrots, peeled and sliced
2 potatoes (230 g in total), peeled and diced
5 ml ground coriander
2.5 ml ground cumin
600 ml orange juice
1 liter vegetable or chicken stock

To serve
extra-virgin olive oil or
cream or creme fraiche or
60 ml coriander, finely chopped or snipped chives

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the leeks.  Cook on a low heat for 5 minutes or until the leeks are cooked.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil.
  3. Lower the heat, cover the saucepan with a lid, and simmer for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
  4. Allow the soup to cool slightly, then process to a puree with a stick blender in the saucepan.
  5. Adjust the consistency of the soup to your liking by adding more stock.  Add milk, cream, coconut milk or coconut cream for a creamier soup.
  6. Transfer the soup to a serving dish and keep warm until ready to serve or serve in heated soup bowls garnished with the fresh herbs, oil, cream, etc.

8 servings.

 

CarrotSoup

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

This soup is perfect for rainy or cold weather.  Read more about the movie Tortilla Soup (2001), starring Hector Elizondo and Raquel Welch) here.

Tortilla Strips
5 corn tortillas, cut into 0.5 cm wide strips
30 ml olive oil
5 ml salt, or to taste

Soup
30 ml olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
1 liter chicken broth
2 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes and juice
1 x 400 g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
500 ml shredded cooked chicken
500 ml corn (I used frozen straight from the freezer, fresh may be substituted)
15 ml lime juice
1 to 5 ml chili powder
10 ml ground cumin
5 ml salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper
5 ml smoked paprika (regular paprika may be substituted)
15 g fresh coriander leaves, stalks removed

To serve
diced avocado
grated cheese
sour cream

  1. To make the tortilla strips, preheat the oven to 190°C, line a tray with a Wizbake baking sheet.
  2. Scatter the tortilla strips loosely onto the baking sheet, evenly drizzle with olive oil, evenly sprinkle with kosher salt, toss with hands to coat evenly, and bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until crisp and lightly golden brown; set aside. While strips bake, begin making the soup.
  3. To make the soup, add 30 ml olive oil and heat over medium-high heat to warm.
  4. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
  5. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
  6. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and juice, black beans, chicken, corn, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, 2 salt, pepper, smoked paprika, optional cayenne pepper, and bring to a boil.
  7. Allow mixture to boil gently for about 5 to 7 minutes. If at any point the overall liquid level looks low or you prefer your soup to have more broth, add 1 to 2 cups of water; you’ll adjust the salt and seasoning levels at the end.
  8. Add the coriander and season to taste. Make any necessary seasoning adjustments (i.e. more salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, etc.).
  9. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with tortilla strips to taste, optionally garnish with avocado, cheese and/or sour cream; serve immediately.

Notes
Soup will keep airtight in the fridge for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Extra tortilla strips will keep in airtight at room temp for up to 5 days.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Mexican Cheese Soup

A creamy cheese soup, subtly flavoured with the typical Mexican ingredients such as tomato and green peppers.

50 g butter or margarine
100 ml chopped spring onion
1 large clove garlic, crushed
50 ml finely chopped green pepper
1 medium red tomato, peeled and finely chopped
100 ml cake flour
good pinch ground cumin
good pinch white pepper
750 ml milk
375 ml water
5 ml chicken stock powder
80g/200 ml grated Cheddar cheese
few drops Tabasco sauce
salt and black pepper

To serve and garnish
chopped spring onion
paprika and / or cayenne pepper

  1. Place the butter or margarine, spring onion, garlic, green pepper and tomato into a large saucepan and saute gently for 8 – 10 minutes while stirring from time to time until all is tender.
  2. Stir in the flour, cumin and pepper.
  3. Add the milk, water and chicken stock powder.
  4. Bring to boil while stirring with a whisk until a smooth sauce is obtained.
  5. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
  6. Add the cheese and stir over moderate heat until the cheese has melted.
  7. Remove from heat and season to taste with Tabasco sauce, salt and black pepper.
  8. Reheat gently while stirring just before serving. Garnish as preferred

4 to 6 servings

Variations

  • To make Mexican cheese and prawn soup, add 200g cooked peeled prawns, coarsely chopped, together with the cheese.

Recipe by Carolié de Koster from the Art of Cooking Recipe Book p. 110.

Quick Mexican Cheese Soup

 

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Green Lentil & Vegetable Soup

Experience the warmth and super nourishment when lentils are combined with typical vegetables to make this very easy and flavourful soup.

Prep time       20 minutes
Cook time      40 minutes
Yields              ± 12 servings

2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive or favourite vegetable oil
2 medium potatoes, peeled and finely diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) dried green lentils, rinsed
1 x 400 g tin peeled chopped tomatoes
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh or ½ tsp (2.5 ml) dried thyme
6 cups (1½ liter) water
1 tsp (5 ml) vegetable stock powder or 1 cube
2 tsp (10 ml) balsamic vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped parsley
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt or a little more if needed
ground black pepper

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the vegetables for 10 minutes over moderate heat, stirring form time to time, to soften but not brown.
  2. Add the lentils, tomatoes, thyme, water and stock powder and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or until all is just tender – not too soft.
  3. Add the vinegar, parsley, salt and pepper and heat through. Serve piping hot.

Notes

  • The soup will last up to 5 days refrigerated but may be frozen successfully as well.
  • The basic soup is vegetarian but for those who enjoy a meaty flavour, replace the vegetable stock with beef or chicken stock and add a few bacon rashers, cut into small bits, to the saucepan with the vegetables.
  • Roll up and finely shred a few washed spinach or kale leaves. Add to the soup shortly before serving and heat through. Serve when the spinach or kale has just softened but is still bright green.
  • The canned tomatoes can be replaced by 1½ cups (375 ml) peeled and chopped ripe red tomatoes. The lentils can be replaced by 1 x 400 g tin lentils (any colour), drained and added to the soup after vegetables have simmered for 15 minutes.

Recipe by Carolié de Koster.

Green-lentil-soup

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Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup

A smooth and creamy textured soup with a hint of spicy flavour. Adding the cream, sour cream or yoghurt gives richness to the soup but it is certainly not essential.

30 ml butter or margarine
2 onions, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
125 ml yellow, red or brown lentils
2 litres water
10 ml chicken stock powder
500 g orange sweet potato, peeled and diced
Pinch each ground ginger, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper and cinnamon
250 ml sour cream, yoghurt or cream (optional) salt and black pepper

To serve
Finely chopped parsley or snipped chives

  1. Place the butter or margarine, onion, garlic and lentils in a saucepan and saute gently, stirring from time to time for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the water, stock powder, sweet potato and spices and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Liquidize the mixture with a hand held blender or cool slightly and process in a food processor and return to the saucepan.
  3. Stir in the cream, sour cream or yoghurt if used, heat through and serve. Delicious!

6 to 8 servings.

SweetPotato&LentilSoup

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French Onion Soup

In France this soup is standard bistro fare and is simply referred to as gratinee which refers to the topping of toasted bread and melted cheese.

7,5 ml olive oil
15 g butter
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped/5 ml crushed garlic
2.5 ml sugar
7.5 ml fresh thyme, finely chopped
20 ml cake flour
125 ml dry white wine
750 ml prepared lamb or beef stock
15 ml cognac (optional)

Toasted Baguette (Croutes)
½ Baguette, sliced into 1 cm slices
1 clove garlic, sliced in half
extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle
75 g Gruyere or Emmenthal cheese, grated

  1. Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan with a 2 L capacity over a medium-high heat.
  2. Add the sliced onions and cook for about 15 minutes until they are softened and beginning to brown.
  3. Add the garlic, sugar and thyme and simmer for about 30 minutes until the onions are caramelised, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add the flour and stir until well blended.
  5. Stir in the wine and stock and bring to the boil.
  6. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes.
  7. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
  8. Stir in the cognac, if using, and cook for 5 minutes more.
  9. Set the soup aside until ready to serve.
  10. Pre-heat the oven to 180 º C.
  11. Place the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking tray.
  12. Place the tray in the oven and toast the bread until it is golden brown and crispy on both sides – be careful not to burn it!
  13. Rub each toasted slice with the halved garlic and drizzle with a little oil.
  14. Heat the grilling element of the oven.
  15. Spoon the hot soup into heated soup bowls and place the bowls on a baking tray.
  16. Float a piece of toasted bread on top of the soup and top the bread with some of the cheese.  Do the same with the other soup bowls.
  17. Place any leftover toasted bread on a serving platter.
    Place the soup bowls in the oven and grill for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
  18. Place each soup bowl on a side plate and serve immediately with the extra bread.

4 servings.

FrenchOnionSoup

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Gazpacho (Chilled Tomato Soup)

Though there are many versions of this soup, the traditional, tomato-based Spanish recipe is the one to go for.  It is an uncooked soup and is very similar to a smoothie – it is like salad made in a blender.

1 kg tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1 medium red sweet pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
½ medium cucumber, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped
15 ml chives, snipped into 3 mm sections
80 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 slice white bread, torn into bite-size pieces or 25 g almond flakes
5 ml crushed garlic
30 ml white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Garnish
½ cucumber, deseeded and diced and/or
1 medium green pepper, deseeded and diced and/or
celery, diced or cut into sticks (I buy the WW Carrot & Celery Fingers and use the carrots for something else)
parsley leaves
Creme Fraiche (optional)

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until you get the required consistency.
  2. Adjust the seasoning and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  3. Serve in individual glasses (150 ml each) with a dollop of creme fraiche and the diced vegetables or just a parsley leaf and a celery stick to stir.  Alternatively, serve the soup in bowls with the garnishes on the side.

10 to 12 servings (depends on the size of the glasses you use).

gazpacho100~_v-varm_597a6d

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Baby-marrow, Bacon & Pea Soup

I could eat this soup every day of the week!  It is quick and easy and it can be jazzed up to your liking.

125 g bacon
1 kg baby marrow, topped & tailed
500 ml frozen peas
250 ml milk or cream
10 ml crushed garlic
5 ml salt
250 to 500 ml prepared stock (mix 5 ml stock powder with 250 ml boiling water)

To serve
100 ml fresh or sour cream to drizzle
100 ml parmesan cheese, grated

  1. Check that the oven is empty and that the rack is on the middle level.
  2. Pre-heat the oven to 200 º C and line a baking tray with a Wizbake baking sheet.
  3. Place the bacon on the baking tray in a single layer and bake the bacon until cooked – about 10 minutes.
  4. Steam  the baby marrows in a steaming basket or a steamer for about 10 minutes on a medium heat until the baby marrow is soft went pierced with a knife.
  5. Transfer the baby marrow to a large saucepan and add the peas, milk or cream, garlic and salt.
  6. Cook on a medium heat for a few minutes while stirring.
  7. Use a stick blender and process in the saucepan until pureed or transfer the mixture to a food processor and process to a puree.
  8. Transfer the cooked bacon to a chopping board and chop it finely.
  9. Add it to the saucepan or the food processor and process to a puree.
  10. Measure the milk or cream with a 250 ml measuring cup and add it to the saucepan.
  11. Adjust the consistency by adding prepared stock.
  12. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.
  13. Transfer to a serving and serve piping hot with fresh bread.

4 to 6 servings

Variation
– Substitute the baby marrow with broccoli florets.

PeaSoup

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Greek Tomato Soup With Vermicelli Noodles

Serve as a light soup with vermicelli noodles only or turn into a more substantial meal by adding the meat to the soup as well. If preferred the meat may be used as a separate dish. Serve with crusty bread and butter.

± 500 g stewing lamb on the bone, e.g. neck or knuckles
1,5 litres water
2 bay leaves
15 g butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 x 410 g tin peeled whole tomatoes, liquidised and strained
15 ml tomato paste
5 ml sugar
5 ml salt
5 ml beef stock powder
2 ml ground black pepper
pinch mixed dried herbs
1 litre water
100 g tiny soup or vermicelli noodles
50 ml spring onion, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

  1. Place the meat, water and bay leaves into a saucepan, bring to boil and simmer partly covered for at least one hour or until the meat is quite tender.
  2. Remove the meat from the saucepan, strain the stock and refrigerate or freeze the stock a while to solidify the fat for easy removal.  Make up the stock to 1,5 litres.
  3. In the meantime, using a second large saucepan, saute the onion gently in butter until pale golden.
  4. Add the strained tomato, tomato paste, seasoning and water and bring to boil.
  5. Reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add the noodles and simmer until tender.
  6. Add the strained defatted stock, meat, spring onion and seasoning to taste and simmer 10 minutes more. Serve piping hot.

6 – 8 servings.

TomatoSoup

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Robust Tomato Soup with Basil

A warm course to kick-start an otherwise room temperature and cold buffet. Serve piping hot with any bread or bread rolls as accompaniment.

30 ml sunflower or olive oil
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, cut into chunks
½ small cut into chunks
750 ml water
10 ml chicken stock powder
3 x 410 g tins whole peeled tomatoes
10 ml sugar
2 – 6 cloves garlic, crushed
6 fresh basil leaves
5 ml salt
freshly ground black pepper
50 ml cake flour
250 ml milk or ½ milk and ½ cream

Garnish
very finely shredded fresh basil leaves

  1. Heat the oil and sauté the onion, carrot and turnip for 5 minutes, stirring.
  2. Add the water and stock powder and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
  3. Add the contents of the tomato tins, sugar, garlic, basil, salt and black pepper to taste and simmer 5 minutes.
  4. Liquidise with a hand held blender until smooth or cool and liquidise in batches in a food processor.
  5. If an ultra smooth soup is preferred, strain the soup – the soup is also good as is with a slightly coarse texture.
  6. Mix the flour with the milk or cream in a large bowl and stir in about 250 ml of the soup.
  7. Add the mixture to the hot soup and bring to boil, stirring.
  8. Serve piping hot, garnished with basil.

6 to 8 servings.

Recipe by Carolié de Koster.

Robust tomato soup

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Creamed Broccoli Soup With Feta Cheese

An elegant soup with a mild yet distinctive flavour.

50 g butter or margarine
500 g broccoli, rinsed and broken into florets
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
50 ml cake flour
1 litre home-made chicken stock or
1 litre water combined with 10 ml chicken stock powder
250 ml milk
good pinch ground nutmeg
250 ml cream
30 ml dry sherry or white wine
200 g Feta cheese, diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
chopped spring onion or parsley

  1. Place the butter or margarine, broccoli, onion and garlic into a saucepan and cook very gently over moderate heat for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time until the vegetables are soft but not at all browned.
  2. Stir in the flour, then the stock or water and stock powder and bring to boil.
  3. Simmer gently and partly covered for 20 minutes or until the broccoli is quite tender. Cool a few minutes.
  4. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a food processor and blend until completely smooth.
  5. Return to the saucepan and add the milk and nutmeg. Bring to boil and simmer 3 minutes more.
  6. Stir in the cream and sherry or wine and season lightly with salt, bearing in mind that the Feta cheese is salty.
  7. Add black pepper to taste and bring to boiling point just before serving. Dice the Feta cheese finely and add to the soup shortly before ladling it into soup bowls.
  8. Sprinkle with spring onion or parsley and serve with wholewheat or crusty bread and butter.

Variations

  • For a less rich soup, replace the cream with 250 ml milk mixed with 30 ml cornflour.
  • Omit the Feta cheese and sprinkle the soup before serving with finely grated tasty cheese for instance Parmesan or Cheddar or white cheese for instance.
  • For a cold soup, cool and refrigerate the soup after step 4. Use only 100 g Feta cheese and dice it quite finely. Spoon the cold soup into small ramekin dishes and sprinkle with the Feta cheese, spring onion and parsley.

6 to 8 servings

Creamed Broccoli Soup With Feta Cheese

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Corn Chowder

A soup of American origin which has gained immense popularity in homes and casual or formal dining out venues.

1 x 410 g tin cream style sweet corn
1 x 410 g tin whole kernel corn
100 g rindless bacon rashers
125 ml chopped onion
125 ml chopped celery
50 ml finely chopped green pepper
250 ml finely diced raw potato
500 ml water
2,5ml salt
1 ml paprika
good pinch cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
50 ml cake flour
125 ml milk
375 ml milk or cream or about 1/2 of each
salt and freshly ground black pepper
chopped parsley

  1. Saute the bacon rashers in a large saucepan until crisp and cooked and remove. Cool, crumble and reserve.
  2. Add the onion, celery and green pepper to the saucepan with the bacon drippings and saute gently for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the potato, water, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper and bay leaf and bring to boil.
  4. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender to taste.
  5. Add the corn to the saucepan when the potatoes are tender.
  6. Combine the cake flour and 125 ml milk, stir into the soup and bring to boil while stirring.
  7. Stir in the remaining milk and/or cream, adjust seasoning and heat to boiling point.
  8. Serve piping hot, sprinkled with black pepper and parsley.

6 to 8 servings

Variations

  • For a vegetarian soup, omit the bacon and add a little more seasoning such as vegetable stock powder or a few drops Tabasco sauce if the soup lacks flavour.
  • For a more colourful soup, use half finely diced red and half finely diced green pepper.

Recipe by Carolié de Koster from the Art Of Cooking Recipe Book p. 108.

Corn Chowder