IOL Food Issue 1

Whatever the kind, all soups follow a similar road to deliciousness: Aromatics and ingredients go into a pot, a liquid is added and the whole thing is simmered until done. While a good soup recipe is a great thing, their similar paths mean you don’t actually need one

CHOICES

Once you’ve decided on your soup, build a foundation using cooking fat, an aromatic base and varied seasoning. Consider the cuisine that inspired the dish, and choose a fat based on it. For example, use butter for a French soup, olive oil for Italian and coconut or peanut oil for Thai. Do the same to select among the aromatic bases, built on chopped vegetables: Will your soup call for a classic French mirepoix, an Italian soffritto, or Southeast Asian shallots and ginger? Be adventurous!

WINTER WARMERS

BUILDING

FLAVOURS Cook the aromatic base and seasoning in the fat you have chosen. Once the vegetables are tender, add stock or broth. No single element wields as much influence on a soup’s taste as its liquid. You will want about a cup of liquid per serving – a little more for a brothy soup, a little less for a hearty one. Avoid canned and boxed stocks, and instead make and freeze stock, or buy good-quality fresh or frozen stock from a butcher. It will make all the difference. After building layer upon layer of flavour, there is the payoff of adding the ingredients – heaps of meat, grains, beans or vegetables – that first inspired you to make soup. When you can, add them to the pot raw so they can release flavour into the soup, and absorb flavour from it.

FINISHING As the soup simmers, taste and adjust seasoning, and stir often to prevent sticking and burning. The soup is done when the ingredients are tender and the flavours come together, about 25 minutes for tender vegetables and up to three hours for tough meats like pork shoulder. If you’re planning on making a puréed soup, use a hand blender in the final stages of cooking to get it to the desired consistency. Serve soup topped with any garnish – a dollop of sour cream or yoghurt, some croutons and a drizzle of olive oil. | The New York Times

VEGGIE SOUPREME

GET the best out of your soup with these tips by cookbook author Shanaaz Parker.

l KNIFE Use a sharp knife to cut vegetables. A small vegetable knife is the one for slicing and paring and a large kitchen knife is the one for chopping.

l TENDER Most vegetables have a better flavour, appearance and texture when cooked until just tender. Do not overcook.

l STEAM Use as little water as possible to cook vegetables. Usually only about 2,5cm boiling water in the saucepan is enough. Add vegetables and cook over moderate heat, covered, to hold in steam.

l NUTRIENTS Some nutrients are lost when vegetables are peeled. Cook in skins whenever possible, especially potatoes.

l SWEETNESS Some vegetables have a natural sweetness, particularly root vegetables like carrots, onions and turnips.

Emphasise their sweetness by adding a little sugar to the cooking water.

l TEMPERATURE Many cooked vegetables are delicious served cold or at room temperature. Add salt and pepper, herbs, lemon juice and oil to them while warm and they will absorb flavours as they cool.

l SERVE Serve vegetables immediately after cooking. Don’t let them stand for long periods, though in some exceptions they reheat well, red cabbage for example.

LAP UPLEFTOVERS

Lutho Pasiya

Don’t let your leftovers go to waste when you can transform them into a tasty meal in minutes

MEAT

Instead of adding all your meat to a stew, keep some aside to prevent wastage and make a soup from the rest.

PASTA AND GRAINS

Don’t mix all of the pasta when making macaroni and cheese if you know it is going to be too much. Keep excess pasta and use it for a bowl of Minestrone soup.

POTATOES

Potatoes, such as a mash, can be used in soups for flavouring and thickening.

RAW VEGETABLES

Raw vegetable offcuts can be stored and used as the base for your soup.

LEFTOVER STEW SOUP

Ingredients

2 x large onions, fine chopped 4 x large carrots, sliced into cubes 1 x bunch celery, fine chopped 1 x bunch leeks, thin slices 5 x cloves garlic minced 4l beef stock 500g lentils (partly cooked) 500g whole peeled tin tomatoes 1 x tomato paste 200g grated parmesan

Method Sweat your veggies in a pot.

Add the garlic, tomato paste and lentils and cook until the pasta starts sticking to the pot.

De-glaze the mix with beef stock.

Add the tomatoes and stew mix. Stir until stew has been mixed. Bring to a boil and simmer for one hour or until thick for soup consistency.

Dish soup up and add grated parsley over before serving.

(2kg leftover)

BUDGETBREWS

Get cozy this winter without having to break the bank, with these budget-friendly soup recipes

Ingredients Butter 1 onion, chopped 500g butternut, peeled and cubed Pinch of ground cumin 300g chicken stock 15-20 ml lemon juice 12 ml cream Salt and pepper- to taste

BUTTERNUT SOUP

Method Heat the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the butternut, cumin and chicken stock and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until

the butternut is soft. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and cream.

Pour into a food processor and blend until smooth.

Season to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper and garnish with toasted butternut seeds and crisps.

CAULIFLOWER & SWEET POTATO SOUP

Roughly chop the cauliflower (including stalks) and sweet potato and add to saucepan with stock, chilli, cumin and a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Place lid on saucepan and bring to the boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat and leave to simmer with lid on until the cauliflower and sweet potatoes are soft.

Once soft, allow the mixture to cool slightly and then tip it into a food processor and process until smooth. Add more salt and black pepper if required. Spoon the soup into bowls and top with sautéed kale.

Ingredients Olive oil for frying 1 red onion 2 cloves of garlic 1 large head of cauliflower 1 medium sweet potato 1l vegetable stock ½ tsp chilli powder ¾ tsp ground cumin Sea salt Black pepper Sautéed kale to serve (optional)

Method Heat a splash of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Finely chop the onion and garlic and sauté until softened.

LENTIL SHORBA SOUP

Ingredients 1 ¼ cup of split red lentils 1tsp of a neutral flavoured oil, such as grapeseed ½ cup chopped onion ½ cup chopped celery ½ cup chopped carrot 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 bay leaf 1tsp cumin powder ¼ tsp turmeric 1tsp ground coriander ¼ tsp cinnamon 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock 2 cups water 1 lemon, juiced 2.5 tsp salt ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method Rinse and soak the lentils for 15-20 minutes, then drain.

Heat the oil up in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onions, celery, and carrots for 10-12 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds.

Add in the bay leaf, spices, drained lentils, stock, and water and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils have softened.

Remove bay leaf. Blend the soup to the consistency that you prefer. Season with the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.

There’s nothing better than sitting down to a piping hot bowl of soup on a cold day. Winter soups are a great option for a wholesome, yet nutritious meal, packing in vegetables and vitamins. You may think it takes too long to cook a fresh pot of soup, but the good news is that you can make a full-flavoured soup in a few minutes

WINTER’S

SOUPER TRIO

CREAMY PUMPKIN COCONUT SOUP

Ingredients 1 small bunch shallot, finely chopped 2 cups pumpkin purée 1 clove crushed garlic 2 tbsp maple syrup ½ can coconut milk 1 cup vegetable broth (add more if too thick) ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp Allspice Dash of cayenne pepper (optional) Salt and pepper to taste

Method In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, sauté the shallot and garlic until golden brown. Add pumpkin purée, vegetable broth, maple syrup, coconut milk, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne.

Salt and pepper to taste. Stir ingredients together and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat.

BROCCOLI SOUP

Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped ½ onion, chopped 4 cup broccoli florets 2 cups of water or fat-free veg broth ½ cup milk Salt ¼ tsp pepper

Method Heat oil in a saucepan on medium flame. Add

garlic and onion and sauté until onions are light brown.

Add washed broccoli florets and stir for one minute. Add water or veg broth and bring it to boil then cook it covered for 15 minutes on simmer until broccoli is tender.

Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Blend to smooth a purée.

Transfer the purée in a saucepan. Add warm milk and stir continuously to avoid curdling of milk. Bring soup to boil and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy hot with croutons on top.

CARROT & GINGER SOUP

Ingredients 2 tbsps olive oil 4 carrots, peeled, roughly chopped 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 5cm of ginger, peeled and grated 1 onion, peeled, roughly chopped 1 potato, peeled, roughly chopped 1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock

For the pesto 100g fresh flat-leaf parsley 50g hazelnuts, toasted 50g Parmesan cheese, grated 150ml extra virgin olive oil Sea salt and ground black pepper

Method Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in onion, garlic, potato, ginger, and carrots. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the carrots are tender.

Remove the lid and pour in the hot stock, stirring well, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 15 minutes. Pour the soup into a food processor and blend to a smooth consistency.

Next, make the pesto by placing all the ingredients into a food processor and blitzing for a few seconds, the pesto should be chunky and not too blended. To serve, pour the soup into bowls

FLU

FIGHTERS

Soup is not just a delicious mixture of vegetables, meat, spices, water and herbs. It’s sometimes medicinal and the one thing many of us can stomach when we are sick. Growing up, my grandmother used to make spicy pumpkin soup whenever we had the sniffles. She didn’t believe in being ‘absent’ from school because of the flu. So she would do her concotion, make you sweat it out and the next day you would be great to go to school. My mother was the chicken soup queen. And hers wasn’t that watery, transluscent soup. It was flavourful and even though my tastebuds were dead, I could still feel that kick at the back of my throat. So with flu season here (and made worse by the pandemic) here’s our pick of the flu-busting soups you need to slurp on. IBuhle Mbonambi

CHICKEN & WINTER VEGETABLES SOUP

Olive oil for cooking 2 carrots, peeled and diced 2 leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped 1 tsp finely chopped root ginger 2 free-range boneless chicken breasts, about 170g each, skinned and diced 750ml chicken stock 1 bouquet garni sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 50g medium egg noodles

1 tbs chopped parsley 2 spring onions, trimmed and sliced

Heat a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium-low heat and add 1–2 tbs olive oil. Add the carrots and sweat gently for 2–3 minutes, then add the leeks, fennel, garlic and ginger and sweat for a further 2–3 minutes.

Add the chicken and stir to combine with the vegetables. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the bouquet garni and salt and pepper. Simmer the broth for 12 minutes. Drop the noodles into the stock and cook until the noodles are cooked. Adjust the seasoning. Scatter the parsley and spring onions over the broth to serve.

RASAM

Ingredients 1/2 cup (125ml) dried tamarind (black or brown) or 1-2 tbsp tamarind concentrate. (Use more for a tangier output.) 3-4 cups water 1 tbs oil (add more if you like) ½ small onion finely sliced 4-5 small cloves garlic 1/2 tbs chopped ginger 1 small tomato, finely chopped ¼ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp salt ¼ cup coriander, with the stems

KING OF SOUPS

Rasam, an age-old South Indian soup, helps to clean out the respiratory tract. Curry leaves, tamarind, turmeric powder, chillies and mustard seeds have many health benefits, relating to colds and coughs. It is also said to be excellent recovery food for those have been struck by colds and flu.

Ingredients for Rasam Powder Dry roast and pound together coarsely ½ tsp black pepper corns 1 tsp whole coriander seeds ½ tsp whole cumin seeds 1 pinch methi (fenugreek) seeds 3/4 dry red chillies ½ tbs thoor dhal

Temper 1 Tbs vegetable ghee (optional) ½ Tbs oil ¼ tsp mustard seeds 10/12 curry leaves ½ tsp yellow asafoetida 1/2 red chillies, roughly crushed 1/2 green chilles, slit lengthwise (remove seeds to reduce heat)

Method Soak tamarind in a cup water for 10 minutes. Remove seeds and pulp. Set aside. Prepare the rasam powder. Heat oil in a pot. Toss in onions and fry until golden brown.

Add garlic, ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Throw in turmeric powder and tomatoes. Cook for a minute. Add salt as required.

Add rasam powder, give it a good stir. Add tamarind extract and balance of water. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes. Turn off heat.

To temper: In a separate pan, heat oil and ghee, toss in mustard seeds and curry leaves. Seeds should pop and leaves should splatter.

Add asafoetida and chillies. Pour into rasam. Add coriander.

Enjoy on its own or serve with rice and vegetable curries such as braised cabbage and pumpkin.

SLAM DUNK!

The only thing more comforting than soup itself are the dippers that accompany every steaming bowl

PARMESAN CRISPS by Rebecca Lindamood

Silky cauliflower, sweet carrot or an earthy potato and chive soup, whatever it is you’re slurping up this winter, make sure you add the crunch texture and umami flavour of Parmesan crisps.

Topped with “Everything” seasoning inspired by the seed encrusted bagels popular on the streets of New York, this soup dipper has a beautiful lacy appearance once baked

Ingredients 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons “Everything” seasoning (poppy seeds, sesame seeds, minced dried garlic, minced dried onion, flaked sea salt) 1 generous tablespoon all-purpose flour

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper Toss together the cheese, seasoning, and flour in a bowl. Portion out generous tablespoons onto the prepared pan, leaving space between each pile of cheese. The cheese will spread a great deal as it bakes.

Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden brown and slightly darker at the edges. Let the crisps rest on the pan for 2 minutes before carefully transferring to a cooling rack.

CROUTONS by foodiecrush.com

Ingredients 4 cups bread cubes cut into 3cm squares from a sturdy bread like sourdough ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced 2 tablespoons Italian parsley minced ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method Preheat the oven to 190°C. Place the bread cubes in a bowl and set aside.

Heat the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat until the garlic begins to turn golden and becomes fragrant. Be careful the garlic doesn’t burn or it will taste bitter. Pick the garlic cloves out of the oil and discard or save for another use.

Drizzle the oil over the bread cubes and toss to coat. Scatter onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until the bread cubes are golden, flipping occasionally. Remove from the oven and add back to the bowl. Toss with the parsley and salt and pepper and set aside to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

SOURDOUGH BREAD

JEQE

PULL-APART BREAD

No knead bread The beauty of no-knead bread is that they are a matter of throwing all the ingredients, wet and dry, into one bowl then, waiting for the dough to proof until doubled in size and baking right after that. And when it is ready, it’s perfect for soups. Sourdough The current favourite bread for those who are breadaholics. Not that any body can blame them. It is delicious. The tangy tartness of the bread, adds another flavour element to the bread and soup combo. Jeqe The popular steam bread (which some call ‘dombolo’ in other parts of the country) is enjoying a new era of experimenting. From herbs and spices, to vegetables chopped into the dough, it’s one of the most versatile breads. And it goes really well with soup and stews. Pull-apart bread Beyond the sourdough and banana bread baking that has been happening during the lockdown, there were many who decided to rather make pull-apart bread. They are soft, delicious, buttery puffs that pull apart perfectly and absorb your soup really well.

ONION SOUP AND GRUYÈRE BAGUETTE

By French chef Michel Roux

Ingredients 5 tbsp unsalted butter 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced 2 flat-leaf parsley sprigs 2 thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf 1 rosemary sprig 1 cup hard cider ¼ cup all-purpose flour 2 ¾ cups chicken stock Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper For the sandwich 113g baguette, thinly sliced on the diagonal ¼ cup heavy cream 1⁄3 cup grated Gruyère cheese

PERFECT PAIRINGS

Lutho Pasiya spoke to chefs about soup and sandwich combos and got them to share their favourite recipes

Method In a large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over mediumhigh heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until golden for about 6 to 8 minutes. Tie the herbs into a bundle with kitchen twine and add to the pan along with ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of cider. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat.

In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the stock, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Scrape the onions and cider into the stock and cook to marry flavours, about 15 minutes.

Discard the herb bundle and season the soup with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Spread the baguette slices on to a baking sheet and broil, flipping once, until lightly golden and toasted, about 2 minutes. Spoon the remaining cider between two bowls set on a baking sheet and ladle over the soup.

Top each soup with toast and sprinkle with cheese. Drizzle the cream over the cheese and broil the tops until golden and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Serve the soups immediately.

BY STEENBERG EXECUTIVE CHEF, KERRY KILPIN

“I like cauliflower soup with feta crumble enjoyed with smoked paprika and melted cheese toastie and washed down with a glass of Steenberg Semillon. I just love cheese and soup together, the fabulous texture of the creamy cauliflower with the rich flavourful melted cheese is so delicious and indulgent. Melted brie on toast will make this combo even more decadent and yummy.

“For the quintessential hearty soup and hearty sandwich combo when it’s chilly – you can’t beat oxtail and roast vegetable soup – with a really strong flavoured sandwich.

“My choice would be Gorgonzola and caramelised onion on a rich, buttery brioche and a glass of Steenberg Shiraz to top it off of course.”

CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH FETA CRUMBLE

Ingredients 1 onion chopped 50g butter 10 sprigs of thyme picked 2 cloves chopped garlic 1tsp paprika 2,5g cayenne pepper 1 potato peeled and grated 1 small head cauliflower broken into florets 1l full cream milk 200ml cream 1 lemon

For the feta crumble 70g feta cheese 2 slices of white bread cut in little cubes 5ml olive oil 10g butter 10g parsley chopped

Method Sweat the onion, butter, thyme, and garlic in a pot on medium heat till the onion is translucent in colour. Add the paprika, cayenne, and potato and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes stirring from time to time. Add the cauliflower and cream and bring to the boil. Cook for a further 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is soft.

Blend and season with salt and squeeze of lemon juice and serve hot with feta crumble sprinkled on the top.

Toss the bread cubes with butter and olive oil and toast in the oven until crispy and golden. Allow time to cool. Crumble the feta and mix with the croutons and parsley. Sprinkle over the soup.

MINESTRONE AND TOASTED CHEESE

Ingredients For the Minestrone 1 large onion, chopped 1 bunch celery, sliced 2 chopped carrots 4 cloves garlic minced 2 cup of mixed beans 8 fresh tomatoes, cut up 10g tomato paste 1tsp oregano 1tsp thyme 10 cups of chicken stock 1 cup macaroni ½ cup of Parmesan 2tsp basil, chopped

Method Take all the ingredients except the pasta, basil, and Parmesan.

Sautè all ingredients in a deep pot until coloured, add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Allow soup to simmer for four hours. Allow 30 minutes of cooking time for the soup to cook the pasta inside the soup. Finish soup with basil and Parmesan.

Toasted cheese White bread 80g of grated aged cheddar Salt Black pepper

Method Butter both sides of the sliced bread, add cheese on one side season with salt and pepper.

In a hot pan toast the sandwich until golden on both sides.

BY PAUL THINUS PRINSLOO FROM THE RESTAURANT AT WATERKLOOF ESTATE

“This is a classic for me and a well-known pairing. I cannot get enough of it. The flavour of the tomato and the taste of a toasted cheese sarmie is just amazing. “The flavour of cheese and tomato is one of the oldest pairings, the sweetness you get from the minestrone and the salty taste from the aged cheddar is a perfect match,” said Prinsloo.

EDITOR’S CHOICE

From peelers and blenders, to crockery and spice dispensers, these are my choices for the products you need to cook and eat the best soups. I have curated this list of must-have products, which will make your soup making exploits much easier. They are all available on Loot.co.za. Click on the product/QR Code to place your order and you will have them in less than a week.

TOGNANA NATURALIA SOUP PLATE (20CM | 6 PIECES | ACQUAVIVA) (R439)

Naturalia hammered effect 20cm coupe soup bowl plate. Microwave safe, Dishwasher safe, Stylish design and finish.

BUY NOW

PIONEER WOMAN FLOWER GARDEN 4QT CASSEROLE (R899) This Flower Garden 3.8 litre casserole pot by Pioneer Woman is an ideal item for any home cook; combining functionality, durability and a charming floral design to create a wonderful piece of cookware.

BOSCH IXO COLLECTION - SPICE MILL ADAPTER (R380) The spice mill adapter ensures more creativity and fun in the kitchen, grinding pepper or other dried spices and spice blends in no time.

BUY NOW

BUY NOW

TOGNANA FABRIC BLACK SOUP PLATE (22CM | 6

PIECES) (R349) Matte Black Stoneware 22cm Soup Plate. Microwave safe,

Dishwasher safe, Stylish design and finish.

SISTEMA TO GO - SMALL SOUP MUG (R97) Ideal for soup, stews, noodles and hot drinks at home or at the office. Heat contents in the microwave and then eat/drink straight from the mug. Dishwasher safe (top rack), microwave safe and freezer safe.

RUSSELL HOBBS RUSSELL HOBBS STICK BLENDER 600W (R440) It’s great for blending, mixes soups, mayonnaise, milkshakes, and smoothies.

BUY NOWBUY NOW

BUY NOW

PROGRESSIVE DUAL VEGETABLE PEELER (R70) This dual peeler features two blades for added convenience and easy storage. The serrated blade peels soft-skinned produce such as kiwi and tomatoes with precision. The straight blade works great with toughskinned produce such as potatoes, carrots and apples.

BUY NOW

BLAUMANN 3-PIECE PASTA AND SOUP POT (R772) Blaumann Cookware is an investment that will prove its worth every time you use it. It’s design-encapsulated base provides superior heat conductivity and even heat distribution to meet the demands of gourmet chefs everywhere.

BUY NOW

BOWLED OVER

Our recipes for our favourite warm-and-comforting soups include crowd pleasers such as Moroccan chickpea soup and chicken, sweetcorn and noodle soup

MOROCCAN CHICKPEA SOUP

Ingredients 1 tbs olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 celery sticks, chopped 2 tsp ground cumin 600ml hot vegetable stock 400g can chopped plum tomatoes with garlic 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 100g frozen broad beans Zest and juice of ½ lemon Large handful coriander or parsley, and flatbread, to serve

Method Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then fry the onion and celery gently for 10 minutes until softened, stirring frequently. Tip in the cumin and fry for another minute.

Turn up the heat, then add the stock, tomatoes and chickpeas, plus a good grind of black pepper. Simmer for 8 minutes.

Throw in broad beans and lemon juice, cook for a further 2 minutes. Season to taste, then top with a sprinkling of lemon zest and chopped herbs.

Serve with flatbread.

GIVE IT SOME ZING! Spice it up further with a spoonful of harissa paste. Curry lovers can swop the cumin for 1 tsp of garam masala. Or for a more hearty dish, fry four sliced chorizo sausages along with the onions and celery.

CHICKEN, SWEETCORN & NOODLE SOUP

Ingredients 2 large carrots, chopped 2 large leeks, trimmed and finely sliced 2 corn on the cobs, corn kernels cut off 200g vermicelli noodles small bunch parsley, finely chopped For the stock 2 onions, quartered 1 leek, cut into chunks 2 carrots, thickly sliced 2 bay leaves 6 black peppercorns parsley stalks 4 celery sticks, roughly chopped 2 tbsp low-sodium vegetable bouillon or 1 vegetable stock cube 1.3kg chicken

Method Put all the stock ingredients and the chicken in a very large saucepan, then cover everything with about 3 litres of cold water.

Bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 1 hr-1½ hrs, until the chicken is cooked through. Skim off any froth every 20 mins or so. Remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Strain the stock through a sieve, skimming off as much fat as you can.

Rinse out the pan and put the stock back in, then simmer on a high heat until reduced a little – you need about 2 litres in total. Add the carrots and leeks, then simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the meat from the chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Add to the pan with the sweetcorn. Add the vermicelli noodles, unless you want to freeze the soup, and simmer for about 7 minutes more, until the corn and pasta is cooked.

Ladle into bowls, sprinkled with the parsley. To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely before freezing (see tip), and when you’re ready to eat, allow the soup to defrost before bringing it back to a gentle simmer in a pan. Add the noodles and simmer until cooked.

2

FASHION

FREEZING & DEFROSTING Freeze soup in portions in freezer bags or tubs, and it will defrost quicker. Allow to defrost overnight in the fridge, or for a few hours at room temperature. You can freeze the chopped parsley in a small bag: just sprinkle into the soup with the noodles.

TECH TRAVEFOODTHE LUXFASHIO