Sweetcorn and spinach soup

Serves 4

350 g canned sweetcorn
1 TBSP butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 carrot finely chopped
1 large potato, diced
1 litre water
125 ml milk
125 ml double cream
salt & pepper
pinch of nutmeg
200g spinach leaves, chopped

1. Heat the butter in a non-stick saucepan and fry the onion and leek. Cover and cook for 3-4 min. Add the carrot, potato and water and bring to the boil. Add the sweetcorn and simmer for 20 minutes, until the carrots and potatoes are well cooked.

2. Blend half of the soup then return to the saucepan. Add the milk and cream and mix well, adding a little more milk to adjust the thickness of the soup. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer over low heat. Do not boil.

3. Add the spinach and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Serve hot into warm bowl with wholemeal bread.

Broccoli soup

This soup has nothing special in it. It tastes simple and is simply tasty ;)

Ingredients for 4 bowls of soup:

1 big broccoli, cut into florets + stem diced
2 tsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
5 TBSP wholegrain rice
900ml boiling water
1-2 bay leaves
1 pinch of nutmeg
4 TBSP double cream
100g full-fat soft cheese (type Philadelphia. I have tried this recipe with reduced-fat cheese but it does not quite work and does not taste as nice)

1. Fry the onion, leek and carrot for 3-4 minutes until softened.

2. Add the broccoli stem, rice, water, bay leaves and a pinch of sea salt. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Add the broccoli florets and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.

4. Stir in the cream and cheese. DO NOT BOIL. Serve into warm bowls.

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

This soup is wonderful. On my top 5 soups I think!

The following will serve 4 to 6 people:

Ingredients:

25g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large leek, thinly sliced
55g plain flour
1.2 L vegetable stock
3-4 carrots, finely diced
4 celery sticks, finely diced
2 parsnips, finely diced
2-3 potatoes, finely diced
3-4 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
300 ml single cream
350g extra mature cheddar, grated
black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and fry the onion and leek for 5 min, stirring frequently.

2. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 min. Add a little of the stock and keep stirring, then slowly add the rest of the stock. Scrape the bottom of the pan so that the flour does not stick.

3. Add the vegetables and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bayleaf.

4. Stir in the cream and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Do not boil.

5. Add the cheese a little at a time, stirring constantly. Do not boil. Season with plenty of black pepper.


There is no need to add salt as the soup will be salty enough with the stock and cheese.

Serve with a nice home-made bread!

Cauliflower and Broccoli soup

Time for a bowl of soup after cheesy spaetzle and rich cakes in Austria!

Serves 4:

2 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 broccoli (same size as cauliflower), cut into small florets
1 TBSP plain flour
600ml milk
300ml vegetable stock
75g grated cheese (Gruyere/Cheddar/Comté)
pinch of paprika
150ml single cream

1. Sauté the onion, garlic, cauliflower and broccoli in the oil for 5 min. Add the flour and cook for another 1 min.

2. Gradually add in the milk and stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 min.

3. Remove a quarter of the vegetables and set aside. Put the rest of the soup in a liquidiser.

4. Return to the pan, add the reserved vegetables and heat through. Add the cheese, single cream and paprika. Cook for another 5 minutes without boiling.

5. Serve in warm bowl.


Soupe de chou-fleur et broccoli


Pour 4 personnes


2 c. soupe huile d'olive
1 oignon, haché
1 gousse d'ail, écrasée
1 chou-fleur, coupé en petits bouquets
1 broccoli, (meme taille que le chou-fleur) coupé en petits bouquets
1 TBSP farine
600ml lait
300ml bouillon de légumes
75g fromage rapé (Gruyere/Cheddar/Comté)
pincée de paprika
150ml créme légere liquide

1. Sauter l'oignon, l'ail, le chou-fleur et le broccoli pendant 5 minutes. Ajouter la farine et cuire en remuant pendant 1 min.

2. Ajouter le lait et le bouillon, faire bouillir, puis réduire et cuire en remuant pendant 20 minutes.

3. Retirer un quart des légumes et mettre de coté. Mettre le reste de la soupe dans le mixeur.

4. Remettre la soupe et les légumes dans la casserole. Ajouter le fromage, la creme et le paprika. Réchauffer sans bouillir et servir dans des assiettes préchauffées.