How To Make Vegetable Soup by Sophie R Chisholm

HOW TO MAKE VEGETABLE SOUP By Sophie Rachel Chisholm

I asked my friends and family for their favourite vegetable soup recipes and why they like them. I then collated them, along with my own illustrations, to create this book. Many thanks to all the contributors.

Sophie Rachel Chisholm 2013 1

Curried Parsnip and Apple Soup WINTER Ingredients to feed about six people: 1 medium onion 3-4 parsnips 1 medium apple Curry powder (as hot as you fancy) 1 1/2 litres vegetable stock Peel the parsnips and roughly chop. Peel and core the apple and roughly chop. Chop the onion and fry in a tablespoon of vegetable oil until translucent but not brown. Add the curry powder to taste and cook through. Add the parsnips and apple and cook for a minute or two. Add stock. Bring to the boil, and then simmer until the parsnips are well cooked. Leave to cool and liquidize. Reheat. Serve with warm naan bread. Nice things to add: Spoonful of thick yoghurt, especially if a bit spicy. Crisply fried bits of bacon. Chopped coriander. It's good in winter, it's cheap and quick to make, warming with the curry powder and also very filling!

Mushroom Soup WINTER Winter warmer soup, absolutely delicious! 1/2 lemon 14 oz/400g mixed fresh wild mushrooms, cleaned 7 oz/200g button mushrooms, minced 3 shallots - finely choppped 2 oz/50g butter 3 fl oz/100ml white wine 18 fl oz/500ml vegetable stock Clove of garlic, crushed Salt and pepper 7 fl oz/200ml heavy cream or crĂŞme fraiche Squeeze the lemon over the mushrooms. Melt the butter in a deep saucepan, add the finely chopped shallots and cook gently for approximately 4 to 5 minutes, until translucent Add the mushrooms, cover the pan and cook gently for 10 minutes until the mushrooms have given up all their juices. Add the wine, the stock and the garlic clove. Season lightly with a little salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the cream and cook for a further 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and serve in warmed bowls. 33

Turnip Soup WINTER

2 lb turnip, peeled and diced 3 stalks celery 1 1/4 lb onions  1 bay leaf  3 tbsp chopped garlic  10 cups chicken stock 2 oz unsalted butter  1/4 cup double cream  4 oz country ham, julienned Salt and freshly milled black pepper Olive oil  Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the celery and onions and sauté for 8 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Add the bay leaf, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the turnips and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for around 1 hour. The turnips should be soft and the consistency fairly creamy and thick.

Asparagus Soup SPRING 1-1/2 lb (680g) asparagus 2 tbsp (30mL) butter 1 chopped leek (white part only) 1 tbsp (15mL) chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp (5mL) grated lemon rind 2 tsp (10mL) lemon juice 1/4 tsp (1mL) pepper 4 cups (1 L) vegetable or chicken stock 1/3 cup (75mL) single cream Fresh chives, chopped Snap the woody ends off the asparagus. Cut the stalks into 1-1/2-inch (4 cm) lengths. Set aside. Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat; cook leeks for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft.  Add the asparagus, parsley, lemon rind, lemon juice and pepper. Pour in stock and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until the asparagus is tender, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, remove 1 cup (250 mL) of the asparagus tips; chop coarsely and set aside.  Puree the soup in batches in a blender or a food processor, then press through a sieve over a saucepan to remove any fibre. Pour in the cream and heat until steaming. Serve garnished with reserved chopped asparagus and a sprinkling of chives.

Soupe au Pistou SPRING

There are lots of versions of this, but this is mine. 1 tin haricot beans Olive oil - a good slug 1 onion 2 fat cloves of garlic Large stick 0f celery - sliced 2 carrots (depending on size) - diced 4 medium potatoes (waxy, so they don't disintegrate) - diced 150g green beans - small chunks 3-4 courgettes (depending on size) - diced or half circles 3 medium tomatoes or 10 cherry tomatoes 150g pasta (very small soup pasta, or spaghetti broken into bits) 150g peas Bouquet Garni 1.75-2 litres vegetable stock. Other veg which can be added/swapped - finely shredded white cabbage or spring greens, celeriac diced, asparagus etc. Pistou: Lots of garlic: 6 to 8 cloves A big handful of basil leaves (80 - 100g) 100g Parmesan cheese - grated 200ml olive oil. Add all ingredients together and liquidize. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Rinse the beans and set to one side. Heat oil in large pan, add the chopped onion and garlic- make sure the garlic doesn't burn, so keep the heat low once cooking has started. Soften and ensure it is transluscent, but not brown! Add the hard veg: celery, carrots, along with the bouquet garni. Cook for about 10 minutes on low, so it doesn't brown. Stir but not too often. Add the potatoes and green beans and the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Prepare the large tomatoes. Cut a cross in the top, drop into boiling water and peel, core and dice. If using cherry tomatoes, I leave whole. Add the tomatos, haricot beans, pasta and peas. Taste, add salt and pepper. Serve with warm French bread and allow people to add own pistou. If the pistou is too much bother, use a jar of pesto instead.

Radish Soup SPRING

12 radishes 4 small onions 2 cans chicken stock 1 can water 1 bay leaf 3 tbsp butter 3 tbsp flour 3 cups of milk 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper Cook the radishes and onions in chicken stock and 1 can of water with the bay leaf until the radishes are soft. Remove the bay leaf. Put the radishes and onions in a blender and puree. Return to stock. Melt the butter in a separate pan and add the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk, stirring until smooth. Add radish mixture, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Serve hot Lovely with French bread.

Gazpachos Soup SUMMER

2 fresh tomatoes; peeled, seeded, and chopped 1/2 green pepper; chopped 4 spring onions; cut into 1/2 lengths 1 cloves garlic; crushed 1/2 medium cucumber; peeled, seeded, and chopped 1/2 lemon; juiced

The best gazpachos are made of vegetables picked and used at the height of the season. Ser ved immediately, they are very goo d, but they're even better when allowed to age for at least 24 hours to enable those incredibly fresh flavours to meld. Many recipes call for stock, but I like using V8 Juice as the base liquid. This recipe serves four, but I promise you'll want to have it again the next day. Serves 4. Great chilled, on a hot summers day.

Lettuce Soup SUMMER

1 large Lettuce (about 225g, 8oz) 1 large Lettuce (about 225g, 8oz) 1 medium Onion, chopped 1 medium Potato, diced 1 medium Onion, chopped 25 gram butter (1 oz) 1 medium Potato, diced 450 ml Milk (3/4 pint) ml Chicken stock 25 300 gram butter (1 or oz) vegetable stock (1/2 pint) 450 ml Milk (3/4 pint) Salt and freshly ground pepper 4 tablespoon double cream, optional 300 ml Chicken stock or vegetable stock (1/2 pint) Salt and freshly ground pepper 4 tablespoon double cream, Fry the onions in a saucepan for 5 minutes. Trim optsional the lettuce and add to the onions, then fry until

soft. Boil the potatoes until soft, then add to the saucepan. Add herbs and stock, then add cream and milk. Blend well. Can be served either hot or cold.

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Carrot & Coriander Soup SUMMER 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 1 tsp ground coriander 1 potato, chopped 450g carrots, peeled and chopped 1.2l vegetable or chicken stock Handful of coriander.

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, then fry for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the ground coriander and potato, then cook for 1 min. Add the carrots and stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and cook for 20 mins until the carrots are tender. Tip into food processor with the coriander, then blitz until smooth (you may need to do this in two batches). Return to pan, taste, add salt if necessary, then reheat to serve.

Leek and Potato Soup AUTUMN Leek and Potato 2 tbsps butter 3 medium leeks, sliced, white parts only 250ml boiling water 1 Chicken Stock Cube 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced 3 medium carrots, sliced 1 tsp dried marjoram leaves 1 tsp dried thyme leaves/ tsp pepper 1 tbsps cornflour 500ml skimmed milk Fresh chopped parsley, optional 1. Melt the butter over medium heat in large heavy saucepan. SautĂŠ the leeks for 3 to 5 minutes or until softened. Add water, stock cube, potatoes, carrots, marjoram, thyme and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 2. Place in a liquidizer and blend until desired consistency is reached. 3. Dissolve cornflour in cold milk and stir into saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened. 4. Spoon into soup bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired. This soup is lovely and warming on a cold day.

Spiced Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup AUTUMN 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or crushed 1 red chilli (optional), deseeded if preferred and chopped 1 tsp ground cumin tsp ground ginger 500g / 18oz carrots, peeled and cut into chunks 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed 1 litre / 1 pt chicken or vegetable stock 1 tsp whole cumin seeds Finely chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Wow! This soup is brilliant on so many levels. It has a great vibrant orange colour, lots of fabulous spices and it's packed full of superfoods. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and gently fry the onion until soft but not coloured. Then add the garlic and chilli (if using), giving it all a good stir. Sprinkle in the ground cumin and ginger and stir well to release their aromas. Throw in the carrots and butternut squash, pour in the stock and bring up to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and tender. Meanwhile, dry-fry the cumin seeds in a small pan to release their aroma. Pour the soup into a blender and blitz until smooth. To serve, ladle into soup bowls, sprinkle the toasted cumin seeds over the top and scatter over some fresh coriander to taste.

French Onion Soup AUTUMN Ingredients: 50g butter 1kg brown onions, thinly sliced 2 tbsp thyme, picked leaves 3 tbsp dry sherry Beef stock, fresh, cube or concentrate made up to 1.2 litres Croutons 1 baguette, slice 1 garlic clove, halved Extra-virgin olive oil 100g GruyĂ¨re cheese, grated

Fry the onions in a large based pan, then add the garlic and thyme. Add the stock and the sherry and simmer for 20 minutes. Blend well. Add the croutons and the grated cheese. There are few things more comforting than making a real French onion soup - slowly cooked, with caramelised onions that turn mellow and sweet in a stock. The whole thing is finished off with crunchy baked croutons or crusty bread topped with melted cheese. If ever there was a Autumn stomach warmer, this is surely it! 13

HOW TO MAKE VEGETABLE SOUP

By Sophie Rachel Chisholm