The Soup Feature

Soup doesn‘t belong at the bedside. Tami Hardeman from Running With Tweezers shows us her recipes for bowls full of steaming delicacy.

Middle Eastern Yellow Lentil Soup

Ingredients

- 1 EL Raps-, Gemüse oder leichtaromatisiertes Speiseöl

- 1 tbsp. canola, vegetable or other lightly-flavored cooking oil

- 1 small yellow onion, diced

- 1½ cup yellow lentils - rinsed and drained thoroughly

- 6 cups lightly flavored vegetable or chicken stock

- ½ tsp cumin

- 1½ tablespoons za’atar

- juice of 1 medium lemon

- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to taste

Steps

1. In a medium soup or stock pot, heat up the cooking oil over medium heat until just shimmering. Add the onion, stir and saute until translucent but not brown - 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Stir in the lentils to combine them with the onion and heat through for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the stock, cumin and za’atar and bring to a boil.

3. Once bubbling, reduce heat and simmer until the lentils are cooked through and most of the liquid has been absorbed - this should take 25 to 35 minutes.

4. Stir in lemon juice, season with salt & pepper to taste and serve immediately. Once cooked, you can adjust the thickness of this soup with a little water - just make sure to warm back through and re-season to taste.

5. If you want this soup perfectly smooth, whiz it in the pot with an immersion blender once it has cooled and reheat.

Garnish Suggestions

- A swirl of Greek style yogurt, chopped fresh coriander of green onions, warm pita bread on the side

Serves 4 to 6 as a soup course or light entree

Apple Kissed Parsnip Soup

Ingredients

- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter

- 1 large leek - white and light green parts cut and rinsed thoroughly. discard the tough dark green parts of the leek.

- 1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cubed

- 4 to 5 large parsnips, on average

- 3 cups water

- 3 cups lightly sweetened apple juice or apple cider

- a pinch of cinnamon

- kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

STEPS

1. In a large stock or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leek and saute until tender but not brown - 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the parsnips and stir to combine. Pour in the water, and apple juice until the parsnips are just covered.

3. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the parsnips for 20 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

4. In a high powered blender or food processor, puree the mixture in batches until very smooth - to ensure the ultimate silky texture, you can strain the puree through a very fine sieve to filter out any fibrous parts of the parsnip that are leftover.

5. Return to soup pot, add the pinch of cinnamon and return soup to a simmer. Once warmed through, serve immediately.

Garnish Suggestions

Rye croutons, pomegranate seeds, lingonberry preserves, salted & toasted sunflower seeds, diced fresh apple

Serves 4 to 6 as a soup course or light entree

Thai Spiced Winter Squash Soup

Ingredients

- 1 shallot - minced 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

- 1 large Butternut or Kabocha squash or 2 medium acorn squash - peeled, deseeded and cubed a pinch each of ground cumin and ground ginger

- 5 to 6 cups lightly flavored vegetable broth - you want enough liquid to cover the squash by ½”. you can add water to the broth to make sure you have enough.

- 1 tbsp. good quality honey or agave nectar

- 1 5.6 ounce can of coconut milk - you can use light or regular salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Steps

1. In a large stock or pot pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until barely shimmering.

2. Add the minced shallot and saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent but not brown. Add the cubed squash and stir to combine with the shallot.

3. Add the broth, cumin and ginger. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.

4. Cook until the squash is fork tender - about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool - this is so you don’t cause the lid of your blender to blow off!

5. In a high powered blender or food processor, puree the mixture in batches until perfectly smooth.

6. Return to pot and stir in the honey/agave and the coconut milk. Bring back to a simmer, season to taste and serve immediately.

Garnish Suggestions

Candied nuts, toasted pumpkin seeds, a swirl of creme fraiche, chopped coriander

Serves 4 to 6 as a soup course or light entree

Creamy Kale Soup (or other winter greens)

Ingredients

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 1 small yellow onion, diced

- 1 large bunch kale (about 4 cups worth once chopped) - washed, dried, and chopped with tough stems removed. You could also you chard, dinosaur kale, full leaf spinach or mustard greens

- 4 cups lightly flavored vegetable or chicken stock

- a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

- a pinch of dried red chili flakes

- ¼ cup dry sherry

- ½ cup heavy cream or half & half kosher salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

Steps

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed stock or soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until just shimmering.

2. Add in the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in the chopped greens and stir to combine with the onion. Pour over the stock and add the dried red chili flakes, nutmeg and sherry. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and cook at a simmer for 15 minutes - you want the leaves to be tender but not turning brown.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

4. Working in batches, puree the mixture until smooth. Return to the soup pot, whisk in the cream and bring back to a simmer over low heat.

5. Once warmed through, serve immediately.

Garnish Suggestions

Crusty Sourdough or whole wheat croutons, a sprinkle of snipped chives, a handful of crispy kale chips, a dollop of homemade or store-bough pesto, some Parmesan cheese grated on top

Serves 4 to 6 as a soup course or light entree

Storecupboard Tomato Bisque

Ingredients

- 2 tbsp unsalted butter

- 1 large carrot, peeled & diced

- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced

- 1 small clove garlic, minced

- 5 cups vegetable or chicken stock

- 1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (roughly chopped) or diced tomatoes with liquid

- 1 bay leaf

- 2 tsp dried oregano

- 2 tsp dried basil

- a pinch of dried red chili flakes

- 1 tsp fresh chopped parsley (optional if you have it)

- 1 cup heavy cream or half and half

- kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Steps

1. Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.

2. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 4 or 5 minutes until the carrots start to get tender & the onion translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 4 or 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Pour in the broth and tomatoes (and their liquid) and bring to a boil.

4. Stir in the bay leaf, oregano, basil and parsley and simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.

5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. When the soup base is cool, discard the bay leaf. In batches, transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

6. For extra silky soup, strain the soup through a fine sieve over a large bowl.

7. Return the puree to the pot and whisk in the cream/half and half and season to taste with salt and pepper.

8. Reheat at a simmer and serve once warmed through.

Garnish Suggestions

Possibilities are endless: toasted bread with melted goat cheese or mozzarella, Paremesan cheese, croutons, small leaves of fresh basil or Italian parsley, diced sun-dried tomatoes, a drizzle of great extra virgin olive oil

Serves 4 to 6 as a soup course or part of a soup & sandwich dinner