Tag Archives: soup

Potato & Leek Surprise

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This morning I am mostly recovering from Jane’s birthday. We wandered down into town last night with some friends to Pincho’s, a local Spanish Tapas bar and restaurant. After a very good meal, some great conversation and a lot of drinks we went home and danced into the wee small hours.

While I was preparing Jamie Oliver’s 5 hour Lamb for Jane’s Birthday Sunday Dinner at 4pm this afternoon, I worked on making a soup for the light evening meal (if we have one!). Searching all of the vegetables we have in the fridge I happened on some Potato’s, Leeks & Onions. Hence the Surprise! I was intending to make a spicy tomato soup.

This soup I have found is a great comforter after a night out.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 931 (233 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 3 or 4 sticks of celery chopped
  • 4 medium leeks chopped (optional, I remove the green leaves)
  • 4 medium potatoes, chopped
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 chicken stockpots (any will do)
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Add hot water to (level 1 in the soupmaker the higher one) or 1 litre in the pan

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: Serve with crusty bread or some yogurt, crème fraiche or cream for a creamier taste.

Celery and Stilton Soup

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Looking through the fridge I noticed we had a lot of Celery left. I mean lots, four heads of Celery in fact! And while sifting through the cheese draw I found there was some still some Stilton cheese, with no port left there was only one thing to do. Go and get more port!

No, seriously, I thought that’s too easy lets make some soup for work. So, with a few more ingredients from the fridge I set about making a Celery and Stilton soup. All of this under the watchful gaze of the my other half. “Why are you making soup at 8:30pm in the evening while EastEnders is on” she said. “I wonder” was my whispered answer……

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 874 (219 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic (or more to taste if like garlic)
  • 1 head of celery chopped (about 5 to 6 medium sized sticks)
  • 1 potato medium, chopped
  • 2 vegetable stockpots (any will do)
  • 100g of stilton (or any other blue cheese) crumbled
  • salt and pepper to taste (remember the Stilton will be a little salty)
  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the lower one) or 1 litre in the pan

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.

Tomato & Basil Soup

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In answer to a plea from my son I have put together a very basic tomato and basil soup. This one is light on the ingredients  but with some powerful flavours.

Also this is a planned attempt to get him away from Nandos, Wagamamas and Subways. As I have him working at 16, like any good Victorian dad should do, he has his own money to spend, so he tends to spend it on food.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 520 (130 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil (olive oil will do)
  • 2 tbsps of tomato paste
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 splashes of worcester sauce
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 stick of celery chopped
  • 2 peppers, chopped (any colour)
  • 1 potato medium, chopped
  • 1 tin of plum tomatoes
  • 1 beef tomato, peeled (or 2 medium tomatoes)
  • 1 tbsp basil, chopped
  • 2 vegetable stockpot (any will do)
  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the lower one) or 1 litre in the pan

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.

Broccoli & Stilton Soup

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Again we have lots of things left in the fridge, they are not leftovers but just things we didn’t really get around to eating. This leads me to having a classic of a soup.

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 1,011 (252 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 broccoli chopped
  • 1 stick of celery chopped
  • 1 leek chopped
  • 1 potato medium, chopped
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 1 vegetable stockpot (any will do)
  • 140g stilton or other blue cheese, crumbled
  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the lower one) or 1 litre in the pan

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, Lentil and Ginger Soup

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“Take your Soup to Work Day” If this is not a thing then it should be!

On Sunday I decided that I would take my soup to work for lunch. This soupy offering would replace my usual baguette, crisps and diet coke from a local bakery nearby.  The soup itself would provide me with the calories my body needed not the calories that my head desired and that would be sensible.

Being sensible with my food is not always my thing, also being able to do the right thing is sometimes against my nature as my friends would willingly testify to even if they haven’t been asked?  I set about my task of making a soup for work on the Sunday afternoon before the Tottenham v Bournemouth football match.

Anyway my internal fun police have now left the building so its probably off to the nearest pub to watch the second half……..

Serves: 4

Approximate Calories: 682 (170 calories per serving) 

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil (other types of oil will do)
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 celery stick sliced small
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 piece of ginger chopped (thumb sized)
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 medium potato
  • 1.75 of a butternut squash chopped
  • 2 handfuls of red split lentils
  • 1 tsp of oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Knorr vegetable stockpot (any veg stock will do)
  • Add hot water to (level 2 in the soupmaker the higher) or 1.2 litres in the pan

Method:

  • Put all of the ingredient’s into the soup maker and set to smooth.
  • Alternatively put all of the ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 minute’s or so then blend when done until smooth.
  • Optional – If you like a thinner soup just add more water or for a thicker soup add less water.