Recipes for Soups

I thought I would add some good, wholesome and warming soups to the collection. We have been asked for a few different recipes so here they are!

Thai Style chicken Soup (serves 4)
This is a very good soup for those on diets, or those who would like a filling but light meal. It is a thin soup, but powerful in flavour and nicely warming. Add more or less chillies to your taste)
1 tsp oil
1 or 2 red chillies, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or ½ tsp garlic puree
1 large leek, finely sliced
6 oz button mushrooms, sliced
1 pint chicken stock
14 floz coconut milk
1 lb chicken, skinless and boneless, cut into bite-size pieces. We use breast and thighs.
2 tblsp thai fish sauce (nam pla)
1 lemon grass stalk- bash the bottom half to crush it and let the flavour out.
1 inch fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp sugar
4 Kaffir lime leaves (optional)
3 tblsp chopped coriander

Heat the oil in a large pan, and cook the chillies and garlic for about 2 minutes, keep stirring it so it doesn’t burn. Add the leek and the mushrooms and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Stir in the stock and coconut milk and bring slowly to the boil over a medium heat. Add the chicken, fish sauce, lemon grass, ginger, sugar and lime leaves if using. Lower the heat and and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and tender.
Remove the lemon grass stalks and add the coriander.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
You can add spring onions, peas and noodles to this if you would like. All can go in about 3 minutes before you take the lemon grass out.

Green Herb Gumbo (serves 6-8)
We have had mixed responses to this one, but mostly good comments! There appears to be a lot of ingredients, but don’t be put off. You can put in any mixture of green vegetables, and it will still taste good. The herbs and spices give it a deep generous flavour that is warming and comforting.

12oz smoked or green gammon, or ham hock meat, diced into bitesize pieces
2 tblsp oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed or 2 tsp garlic puree
1 tsp dried oregano,
1 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
2 celery sticks
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
½ medium green cabbage shredded.
3 ½ pints ham or chicken stock
7oz spring greens or Kale
7 oz Chinese mustard cabbage, shredded
7 oz spinach
1 bunch watercress, shredded
6 spring onions, shredded
1 oz parsley, chopped
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp nutmeg
salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to serve

In a large pan heat the oil, and add the gammon, onion, garlic, thyme and oregano. If there is any fat on the gammon let it sizzle away, if you have the rind, put it in in one piece to remove when the fat has rendered away. Cook for about 5 mins, stirring and then add bay, cloves, celery and pepper, stir that around for 2 mins, until the cloves become good and fragrant, then add the cabbage and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 5 mins, add everything else and cook for a further 4-5 minutes. Season it all and taste.

This can be made vegetarian, by removing ham, using veg stock and putting in beans, pulses or chick peas.
If you can’t get ham hock or gammon, try German Bratwurst sausages or mortadella. Bacon or belly pork could be used too.

Cullen Skink, or Smoked Haddock and Potato soup (serves 6)
A traditional Scottish soup, Cullen meaning seatown or port, Skink meaning stock or broth. This makes a lovely change to usual soups, is rich and creamy, with enough subtlety to be used for a dinner party.

12oz Finnan Haddock- or un-dyed smoked haddock
1 onion, chopped
1 leek chopped
1 ½ pints fish or veg stock, or even water
1 ¼ lb potatoes
1 pint milk
1 ½ oz butter
salt and black pepper

Place the fish in pan and cover with the milk. Poach gently for about 15 minutes, or until the fish is easy to flake and opaque. When cooked, remove carefully from the heat. Let cool a little, strain AND KEEP the milk, and then flake the fish only throwing away the skin and any stray bones.
In a soup pan, sweat off the onion and leek in the butter. Stir frequently, and don’t colour the veg. They need to be softened and translucent. Add potatoes and stock and reserved milk. Cook for about 20 minutes until potatoes are soft and can be crushed against the side of the pan with the back of your spoon.
Zap the whole thing, and then add the flaked fish. You then have potato soup with flakes of haddock. Taste and add pepper and a little salt if necessary. Add cream to make it richer, although remember you and your guest will be eating a bowl of it, not just a spoonful.
Finish it with parsley or chopped chives when serving.

To make a bit of a change use half of the potatoes within the soup, and dice the rest and cook separately. Add these in with the haddock to create texture.