Roasted Red Pepper, Lentil and Spinach Soup

Ingredients

1 -1/2 tbs olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tsp of ground cumin
generous pinch of cumin seeds
1/2 tsp of ground coriander
generous pinch of coriander seeds
salt
3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups of water
1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
7.5 oz jar roasted red peppers or 2 large roasted red peppers, skinned and seeded
1/3 jalapeno, deveined and finely chopped
spinach, baby, stems removed (as much as desired!)
salt to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium-low heat. Cook the onion for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently (avoid browning) . Add the the cumin, cumin seeds, coriander, coriander seeds, and a pinch of salt and stir well. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, water, red lentils and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and add the roasted red peppers and jalapeno. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until lentils loose their shape.

Remove the soup from the heat and puree using an immersion blender.

Adjust seasoning and add the spinach. Stir until wilted.

Broccoli and Pine Nut Soup

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 lbs broccoli, trimmed, cut into small florets
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
1/3 cup pine nuts
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Method

Heat oil in a large soup pot and add onion and garlic. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring for 8 to 10 minutes or until soft. Add the broccoli to the pot, then stir in the stock and water.

Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove from heat.

While the soup is cooking, heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Toast the pine nuts, stirring, until golden. This won't take very long, so be careful not to burn. Stir toasted pine nuts into soup.

With a stick blender, food processor or blender, process soup, in batches, until smooth.

Return soup to pot and stir.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat for about five more minutes or until warmed through. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 1 quart chicken stock
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 6-inch piece of thick lemongrass, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp seracha
• 1 Tbsp tom yum paste (optional, but strengthens the flavor)
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2/3 cup rice
• 1 chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
• 1 13.5 oz can light coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp pre-made basil pesto, preferably without the oil
• 1 large avocado , diced
• 2 large or 4 small scallions

Method

Combine stocks, lemongrass, lime leaves, fish sauce, lime juice, seracha, tom yum paste, sugar and seasoning in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add rice and simmer until rice is cooked to al dente. Add chicken and simmer until it's cooked through and rice is tender. Remove from heat, remove lemongrass and lime leaves. Add coconut milk, pesto, avocado and scallions. Best when served immediately, although the lime juice in the soup does prevent the avocado from browning quickly.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients
•4 tablespoons of butter.
•3-4 carrots shredded
•3-4 ribs of celery diced
•a 16 oz. bag of frozen chopped broccoli
•1 cup of diced onion
•3 cans of chicken broth
•3 cans of cream of potato soup
•1 lb. of Velveeta diced
•8 ounces of sour cream
•salt and pepper to taste

Method

Melt the butter in a large pot. Saute the celery, carrots, onion, and broccoli for 10-15 minutes.

Pour in the chicken broth and cream of potato soup.

Allow the soup to simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the Velveeta and stir until it's melted.

Right before serving add the sour cream and stir until it's blended with the soup.

Serve the soup with some nice crusty bread

Peanut Butter Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or to taste
• 2 tablespoons ginger, grated
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, coarsely chopped
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups tomato juice
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 3 green onions, chopped

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onions until translucent. Add cayenne, ginger and carrots and sauté for 3 minutes.

2. Add sweet potatoes and water, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Cool for a few minutes.

3. Add the tomato juice and peanut butter and puree in a blender or use an immersion blender.

4. Return to the pot and reheat gently.

5. Serve garnished with green onions.

Omelette Soup

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 15 ml/1 tablespoon groundnut (peanut) oil
• 900 ml/1.5 pints vegetable stock
• 2 large carrots, finely diced
• 4 outer leaves Savoy cabbage, shredded
• 30 ml/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2.5 ml/0.5 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2.5 ml/0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, to garnish

Method

1) Put the egg in a bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Heat the oil in a small frying pan until it is hot, but not smoking as it would be too hot. Pour in the egg and swirl the pan so that it coats the base evenly. Cook over a medium heat until the omelet has set and the underside is golden. Slide it out of the pan and roll it up like a pancake. Slice into 5 mm/0.25 in rounds and set aside for the garnish.

2) Put the stock into a large pan. Add the carrots and cabbage and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the soy sauce, granulated sugar and pepper.

3) Stir well, then pour into warmed bowls. Lay a few omelet rounds on the surface of each portion and complete the garnish with the coriander leaves.

Lemon Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup of masoor dal
• 1 Lemon
• 2 green chilies
• Salt to taste
• pinch of turmeric powder

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For Tempering:
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• 1tsp of oil
• 1/2tsp of mustard seeds
• 1 red chilli
• curry leaves
• pinch of hing
• 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds

Method

Cook dal in cooker.

Heat a pan/vessel add tempering items. Once the mustard seeds starts spluttering add the dal, pinch of turmeric powder,Salt and little bit of water.

Keep it for 5-6 mts till the dal/lentils is boiled and turn off the heat.

Add lemon juice to the dal after 5-6 mts. and mix it.

Tomato Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• Chicken – 2-3 pieces (preferably 1 thigh piece with bone)
• Water – 4 cups
• Salt – ½ teaspoon or adjusted to taste
• Ghee/butter – 1 teaspoon
• Garlic – 2 flakes, finely chopped
• All purpose flour – 2 teaspoons
• Dried rosemary – 1 teaspoon
• Tomatoes – 2, medium size, fully ripe
• Green chlli – 2, medium size, medium hot, finely chopped
• Black pepper powder – ½ teaspoon or adjusted to taste
• Vinegar – 2 teaspoon

Method

Cook the chicken pieces with water and salt. Allow it to cool and then remove the bone and shred the meat and keep aside.

Plunge tomatoes in boiling water for a minute. Remove, allow it to cool, peel them carefully, and chop them finely. Heat ghee/butter and fry garlic till it is golden brown.

Add the flour and rosemary and fry for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and green chillies and saute them till they are soft, taking care not to brown them. Mash the tomato pieces with a wooden spoon.

Add chicken pieces along with its water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add pepper and vinegar, mix, and season to taste.

Serve hot and spicy tomato chicken soup in bowls sprinkling with finely chopped coriander leaves. Enjoy

Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 2 small onions
• 2 large carrots
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 cups red lentils
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup cream
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
• salt & pepper

Method

Pick over the lentils. Rinse and drain them well.

Peel and chop the onions and the carrots. Slice the garlic. Sweat them in the butter for about 10 or 15 minutes (i.e. put them in a heavy-bottomed soup pot with the butter, and heat gently with the lid on. Stir occasionally.) Add the drained lentils and mix well. Keep over low heat for another 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken stock and bring up to a boil. Skim the soup. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and add the bay leaves, rosemary and thyme. Simmer the soup, covered but stirring frequently, until the lentils are very soft. That'll be all of 20 minutes, so don't go wandering off too far.

Remove the bay leaves and purée the soup until very smooth. Thin with a little water if it is too thick. Blend in the cream, and the last tablespoon of butter, if you are up for it. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat through and serve.

Mexican Corn Soup

Ingredients

• 500 g frozen corn kernels (or a mix of frozen and canned corn, which I used)
• 1 small red chili, finely diced
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 500 ml water
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 100 ml light creme fraiche (15% fat)/Sour Cream
• 1 tsp each of powdered chili, cayenne and cumin
• 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar

Method

Fry the corn and the chili in the oil until they're a bit brown. Add sugar and salt. Add the rest of the ingredients, and let simmer for five minutes. Puree with an immersion blender (careful! It's hot!) or in a food processor. Eat!

Carrot Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp, fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp red Thai curry paste
• 2 lbs/1kg carrots, grated
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt & pepper
• ¾ cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• ¼ cup shredded coconut, toasted

Method

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the ginger, onion and garlic until fragrant (about 5 minutes). Don’t let the garlic burn or it will just taste bitter. Add the curry paste and stir until blended.

2. Add carrots, stock, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered until the carrots are tender – about 20 minutes or so.

3. Puree soup and return to heat. Add coconut milk and heat for five minutes. Taste for seasonings.

4. Combine cilantro and toasted coconut in a small bowl and use as garnish for each serving.

French Onion Soup

Ingredient:

• 6 cups thinly sliced onions
• 3 ounces of butter
• 1 tbsp of all purpose flour (Maida)
• 6 cups water or vegetable stock
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 4 slices to 6 slices French bread -- toasted
• Slice of cheese

bouquet of spices:

• 3 bay leaves
• 12 peppercorns
• 10 to 12 leaves of parsley
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
• 2 cloves or 3 garlic (whole)
  

For the Garnish:

• Sliced scallions or minced parsely

Method:

Make a bouquet of spices by placing bay leaves, peppercorns, parsley, thyme, and garlic in the center of a 12" square of cheesecloth, and tying the cloth's ends together. Set aside. In a heavy pot, saute onions in oil over medium-low heat. Add salt to prevent sticking, and stir frequently. Cover pot with a lid, but leave it slightly ajar. Onions should saute for 30 minutes to 1 hour.They will reduce to about a third of their original volume and become sweet and golden. Then add flour and fry till the raw smell of flour is gone. Add water or stock, soy sauce, along with the bouquet garni. Simmer at least 30 minutes. Remove bouquet of spices. Season soup with extra salt,pepper, soy sauce, if desired. Place in bowls and top with French bread. Lay slices of cheese to cover the entire opening of the bowl. Bake at 350 degrees F or 5 minutes under a hot broiler. Garnish with sliced scallions or minced parsely. Serve hot.

Notes: The secret to onion soup is letting the onions caramelize slowly. If this step is rushed, not only could the onions burn, but your soup will lack depth of flavor. Once the soup is finished, divide into 4 soup bowls and top with French bread cubes then cheese. Broil just until cheese has melted and browns slightly. Make sure to put the bread cubes in first (and not omit it if using cheese) because the cheese will sink to the bottom of the bowl.