Recipes

Red pepper soup & pesto stifato

Red pepper soup & pesto stifato

Couverts6
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Ingredients

To garnish

Pesto stifato

Instructions

  • Arrange the peppers skin-side uppermost in a foil-lined grill pan, brush with 2 tablespoons of the oil, then grill for about 10 minutes until the skins are blackened and the peppers softened. Wrap the foil around the peppers, then leave them to cool for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a saucepan, add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes until softened and just beginning to brown. Mix in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then mix in the tomatoes, stock, vinegar and salt and pepper.
  • Peel the blackened skins off the peppers then roughly chop the peppers. Add to the saucepan then bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then purée in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth.
  • Return the soup to the pan, reheat then taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Cut the stifato sticks or bread rolls into long strips, then lightly toast on both sides. Spread with the pesto then sprinkle with the cheese and grill until just melting. Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with some olive oil, a few basil leaves and some black pepper.

Notes & Wine Advice

For roasted red pepper & cannellini bean soup, grill the peppers as above. Skin and finely chop the peppers, then add to the fried onion, tomato and stock mixture. Omit the balsamic vinegar and add 3 large pinches of saffron threads and a drained 410 g (13½ oz) can cannellini beans. Season then cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Do not purée, but serve the soup chunky with garlic bread.
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Course; Soup

Thai squash & coriander soup

Thai squash & coriander soup

Couverts6
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the curry paste, garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Then mix in the squash, coconut milk, stock and fish sauce. Add a little pepper (don’t add salt as the fish sauce is so salty) then bring to the boil.
  • Cover the pan and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is soft. Leave to cool slightly. Reserve a few sprigs of coriander for garnish then tear the remainder into pieces and add to the soup. Purée the soup in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour back into the saucepan and reheat, tearing in the reserved coriander sprigs. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Notes & Wine Advice

For gingered squash soup, omit the Thai curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce and coriander. Fry the onion as above then mix in the garlic and a 3.5 cm (1½ inch) piece of peeled and finely chopped fresh root ginger. Add the squash as above, 900 ml (1½ pints) of stock and a little salt and pepper, then bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes then purée and mix with 300 ml (½ pint) milk. Reheat and serve with croûtons.
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Course; Soup
Cuisine; Thailand

Harira

Harira

Couverts10
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

To garnish

Instructions

  • Drain the chickpeas, rinse under cold running water and drain again. Place them in a saucepan, cover with 5 cm (2 inches) of water and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until tender, adding more water as necessary. This will take anything up to 1¾ hours. Drain the chickpeas and set aside.
  • Place the chicken breasts, stock and water in a second saucepan. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 10–15 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked. Remove the chicken from the stock, place it on a board and shred it, discarding the skin.
  • Set the shredded chicken aside. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, saffron (if using), onions, rice and lentils to the stock remaining in the pan. Cover the pan and simmer for 30–35 minutes or until the rice and lentils are tender.
  • Add the shredded chicken, coriander and parsley just before serving. Heat the soup for a further 5 minutes without letting it boil. Season to taste and serve the soup, garnished with drizzles of natural yogurt and coriander sprigs.

Notes & Wine Advice

For budget harira, make up the soup as above omitting the chicken breasts and saffron, adding ½ teaspoon ground turmeric and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon instead.
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Course; Soup

Veg soup with bacon dumplings

Veg soup with bacon dumplings

Couverts6
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Dumplings

Instructions

  • Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and white diced leeks and fry for 5 minutes until just beginning to soften. Add the other diced vegetables and sage, toss in the butter then cover and fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Pour on the stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender. Remove the sage then taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
  • Make the dumplings by mixing the flour, mustard powder, sage, suet and bacon in a bowl with a little salt and pepper. Gradually stir in the water and mix first with a spoon, then squeeze together with your hands to make a smooth dough. Cut into 18 slices and roll each slice into a into small ball.
  • Stir the remaining green diced leek into the soup. Add the dumplings to the simmering soup, re-cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes until the dumplings are light and fluffy. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.

Notes & Wine Advice

For creamy winter vegetable soup, omit the dumplings and reduce the amount of stock to 1.5 litres (3 pints). Simmer for 45 minutes then purée in batches in a blender or food processor. Pour back into the saucepan, stir in 300 ml (½ pint) milk and reheat. Ladle into bowls, swirl 2 tablespoons of double cream into each portion and garnish with a little chopped sage and some crispy diced bacon.
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Course; Chicken / Meat / Pork / Poultry / Vegetables

Onion, tomato & chickpea soup

Onion, tomato & chickpea soup

Couverts6
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and fry over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until just beginning to brown around the edges. Stir in the garlic and sugar and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring more frequently as the onions begin to caramelize.
  • Stir in the tomatoes and harissa paste and fry for 5 minutes. Mix in the tomato purée, chickpeas, stock and salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes until the tomatoes and onion are very soft. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
  • Ladle into bowls and serve with warm tomato ciabatta.

Notes & Wine Advice

For chillied red onion & bean soup, make up the soup as above but omit the harissa and add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika and 1 split dried red chilli when frying the tomatoes, then swap the chickpeas for the same size can of red kidney beans. Serve with garlic bread.
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Course; Soup / Vegetables
Diets; Vegetarian

Spring vegetable broth

Spring vegetable broth

Couverts4
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the celery, leeks and carrot. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the pearl barley, stock and mustard, season to taste and simmer for 20–25 minutes. Add the mangetout, if liked, and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Ladle into warmed soup bowls and serve piping hot.

Notes & Wine Advice

For winter vegetable broth, make up the soup as above using just 1 chopped leek and adding 125 g (4 oz) finely diced swede. Simmer for 20 minutes then add 125 g (4 oz) finely shredded green cabbage instead of the mangetout. Simmer for 10 minutes then ladle into bowls and top with diced crispy grilled bacon.
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Course; Soup / Vegetables
Diets; Vegetarian

Beef & barley brö

Beef & barley brö

Couverts6
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the beef and onion and fry for 5 minutes, stirring, until the beef is browned and the onion just beginning to colour.
  • Stir in the diced vegetables, pearl barley, stock and mustard, if using. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 1¾ hours, stirring occasionally until the meat and vegetables are very tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley. Serve with warm potato bannocks or farls.

Notes & Wine Advice

For lamb & barley hotchpot, substitute the beef for 250 g (8 oz) diced lamb fillet and fry with the onion as above. Add the sliced white part of 1 leek, 175 g (6 oz) each of diced swede, carrot and potato, then mix in 50 g (2 oz) pearl barley, 2 litres (3½ pints) lamb stock, 2–3 sprigs of rosemary and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 1¾ hours. Discard the rosemary, add the remaining thinly sliced green leek and cook for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with a little extra chopped rosemary to serve.
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Course; Beef / Meat / Soup

Spiced lamb & sweet potato soup

Spiced lamb & sweet potato soup

Couverts6
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the lamb and fry until browned on one side, turn it over and add the onion. Cook until the lamb is browned all over and the onion just beginning to colour.
  • Stir in the garlic, spice blend and ginger, then the stock, lentils and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1½ hours.
  • Add the sweet potato and carrot, bring back to a simmer then re-cover and cook for 1 hour. Lift the lamb out of the soup with a draining spoon, put on to a plate then carefully remove bones and excess fat, breaking the meat into small pieces. Return the meat to the pan and reheat if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with torn coriander leaves and serve with hot fennel flat breads.

Notes & Wine Advice

For homemade fennel flat breads, to serve as an accompaniment, put 200 g (7 oz) self-raising flour and ½ teaspoon baking powder into a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon fennel seeds that have been roughly crushed using a pestle and mortar and a little salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, then gradually mix in 6–7 tablespoons of water to make a soft dough. Cut the dough into 6 pieces, then roll each piece out on a lightly floured surface until a rough oval shape about the size of a hand . Cook on a preheated ridged frying pan for 3–4 minutes each side until singed and puffy.
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Course; Lamb / Meat / Soup

Chilled lettuce soup

Chilled lettuce soup

Couverts6
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

To serve

Instructions

  • Heat the butter in a saucepan, add the spring onions and fry for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the peas, cook for 2 minutes then shred and add the lettuce. Pour over the stock, add the sugar and a little salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
  • Cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the lettuce is wilted but still bright green. Allow to cool slightly, then purée in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Stir in the cream, then taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Chill well.
  • Ladle the soup into small bowls set on plates. Serve with Little Gem lettuce leaves topped with a small amount of crab mixed with the mayonnaise and lemon juice and sprinkled with paprika.

Notes & Wine Advice

For chilled watercress soup, heat the butter as above, slice 1 small leek, add the white slices and 200 g (7 oz) diced potato, cover and fry gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 750 ml (1¼ pints) chicken or vegetable stock, season then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the green leek tops, 2 bunches or 200 g (7 oz) watercress, cover and cook for 5 minutes until the watercress is just wilted. Purée in batches as above, then return to the pan and mix with 150 ml (¼ pint) milk and 150 ml (¼ pint) double cream. Chill well. Serve in shallow bowls with a swirl of cream.
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Course; Soup

Yogurt, walnut & cucumber soup

Yogurt, walnut & cucumber soup

Couverts4
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

To garnish

Instructions

  • Peel off half the cucumber skin, then roughly chop the cucumber. Put it on to a plate and sprinkle with a little salt. Set aside for 20 minutes.
  • Rinse the cucumber with cold water and drain well in a sieve. Put the walnuts, garlic, dill, bread and oil into a blender or food processor and whiz until finely chopped. Add the cucumber and yogurt and blend again until the cucumber is finely chopped. Mix in the water, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill well.
  • Ladle into glasses. Drizzle the top with a little extra olive oil, sprinkle on a few walnuts and a sprig or two of dill. Serve with strips of toasted pitta bread, if liked.

Notes & Wine Advice

For minted yogurt, almond & cucumber soup, salt the cucumber as above. Omit the walnuts, garlic and dill, adding 25 g (1 oz) ground almonds and 2 stems fresh mint in their place. Blend with the bread and oil as above, then add the rinsed and drained cucumber, yogurt, water, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Blend again, then chill. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a swirl of olive oil, a few toasted flaked almonds and some tiny mint leaves.
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Course; Nuts / Soup / Vegetables