Author Archives: BigSouper

Italian Mash Up Soup

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Wanted make a basic soup today so I embarked on a sort of Minestrone soup mash up. I leant on my Abel & Cole box again today to supply the vegetables for the soup.

Whilst making this soup my Wife, Jane, “said hmm soup. I like Parsnips!” “That’s good” I said, “as I am not anywhere near making a parsnip soup”, I heard the look of disappointment from behind me. “After I have made this soup, would you like to make some parsnip soup with me?” I continued. With a beaming smile she said “yes please”, but that a whole other other post.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 575 (143 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil (other types of oil will do)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 celery stick, chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, chopped
  • 40 grams of extra fine beans chopped into short lengths
  • 1 tablespoon of orzo (tiny pasta)
  • 1 yellow pepper, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2-3 tsp of oregano
  • 2 knorr chicken stock pots
  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the higher) or 1.2 litres in the pan

Method:

  • Put all of the ingredients into the soup maker and set to chunky.
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into the pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 minute’s or so then blend when done until chunky.
  • For a thinner soup add more water for a thicker soup add less water.

Leftover Chilli Soup

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I know, this just does not compute! Leftover Chilli you say, you couldn’t write it.

However that’s what happens when you cook for four. Then your son and his friend decide that meeting your other friends at Subway is the only way to go, especially as their will be girls there.

Madness I know but that’s what the younger generation are like these days. The soup was outstanding for my taste.

So with a portion of chilli, an onion and a tin of borlotti beans you would be amazed by this website that describes them, a whole history……

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 704 (176 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp of rapeseed oil (olive oil will do)
  • add all the leftover chilli (1 serving or 2 ladles is what I had left)
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 tsp hot chilli powder
  • 1 tin of borlotti beans
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp of hot paprika
  • 2 splashes of Worcester sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 beef stockpot
  • Add hot water to (level 1 in the soupmaker the higher 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 – I do a couple of 10 second blends at the end so it not soo chunky, add tortilla chips on the top for a bit of crunch.

My Saturday Relaxer

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After a very busy week at work I fell into the pub at our Early Doors regular Friday meet up, to enjoy a few pints of Naked Ladies Ale, our local Twickenham brewery fare at the Three Kings.

I decided to make some soup on Saturday as a way to relax myself into the weekend proper. Lots of winter veg, chicken stock in good basic soup.  So my intention was to make it comforting and full of flavour, it also needs to be chunky to give us a warming texture to the soup. This approach alongside a New York Bagel, toasted or not, buttered or not its all up to you. Enjoy!

Twickenham Brewery Regular Ales

The Brewery

Twickenham Fine Ales was the first brewery in Twickenham since Cole’s Brewery closed in 1906. However it didn’t end there. Founded by Steve Brown in 2004, Twickenham has been at the forefront of the resurgence of breweries in London.  Using global hops from a early stage, and only the purest of ingredients, Twickenham produces a fine range of well hopped, award winning beers.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 765 (192 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp of rapeseed oil (olive oil will do)
  • 3 potatoes
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 1 tbsp fresh fennel (2 tsp of dried fennel will do)
  • 3 small to medium onions
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 leeks
  • 1 celery stick
  • 1 tbsp of oregano (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp of sweet paprika
  • 3 splashes of Worcester sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 chicken 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.
  • Optional – New York Bagel – 230 calories (with butter add 35 calories – for 456 for the whole serving)

Potato, Carrot & Onion

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Now that I am back in the groove with my soup making, I wanted to experiment with a chunky wholesome home style soup. It had to simple, tasty and warming as well as quick to make and not full of spurious ingredients that were not need .

I simply used potatoes, carrots, celery and onions and a tsp my Hungarian purchase of sweet and hot paprika to add the warmth that I wanted.

You can find some info here about Hungarian paprika by clicking here

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 741 (186 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil (olive oil will do)
  • 2 sticks of celery, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 medium potato, chopped
  • 3 onions, chopped
  • 2 tbsp of pearl barley
  • 1-2 tsp of paprika (hot or sweet to your taste)
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 vegetable and 1 chicken stockpot
  • 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.

Squash, Potato and Carrot soup

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With so much squash in the fridge, I had another to use up, and a great response from my earlier effort I determined to use it for another squash soup. Having already used up the Red peppers I replaced these in the soup with carrots. This would help to keep the colour, as well as provide some flavour. I upped the potato count and dropped the lentils in favour of the onions.

We were set to soup and that’s what we did, flavour was good and the soup itself was thick and delicious

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 989 (247 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil (olive oil will do)
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 3 medium potato, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots,chopped
  • 1 whole squash, chopped
  • 1 cloves of garlic
  • 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.