Monday 19 November 2007

Soup season

The last time I made soup for the children, O burst into tears and wailed "You've given us sauce with bits in for tea, Mummy!".
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They're not soup fans, despite me not really believing them and serving up soup fairly regularly. It never works - even when I tempt them with extras like croutons, grated cheese or tiny pasta stars - they are adamant they don't like it.




I really love soup though; as long as it is autumn or winter. I like my soup thick and starchy - not clear and delicate. I'm making loads at the moment - usually half to eat and half to stick in the freezer for when I can't be bothered to cook.

Here are my favourite soups:
  • Delia's curried parsnip and apple soup. It comes out a startling bright yellow colour and has the most beautiful sweet and sour flavour.
  • Minestrone - if I ever have a savoy cabbage in my veg box I use some of it to make minestrone as I love seeing the beautiful frilly leaves in the soup.
  • Corn chowder - thick, creamy and slightly sweet (in a good way).
  • Anna's roast vegetable soup.
  • Lentil and bacon soup (Pret do a very good version if I ever get too lazy to take in my own)
  • Homemade tomato soup - with grated cheese put in the bowl before pouring the soup on top, as they do in America.
  • Sweet potato and rosemary soup - my very own invention and one of my favourite ever soups.

Sweet potato & rosemary soup

  • 1 red onion
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
  • a big handful of fresh rosemary, chopped very finely
  • 750ml or more chicken or vegetable stock

Chop the red onion finely and put it into a large saucepan with a good slug of olive oil and the chopped rosemary. Cook very gently for 10 minutes or so until the onion is softened. Add the chunks of carrot and sweet potato and continue to cook for another minute or so before adding the stock.

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Bubble gently for about 20 minutes or until the carrot and sweet potato are soft. Blend, adding more water as necessary because the sweet potato is very thickening. Serve with plain,wholemeal buttered rolls.

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3 comments:

  1. I adore soup and could eat it every day. Funnily enough my children aren't keen either. Shoulders slump, faces are pulled and sometimes tears are shed. I have stopped trying for a bit!

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  2. I hated soup as a child, mainly because it was difficult to eat- when I was a nanny I used to pour it into small mugs and this sometimes worked, especially when accompanied by big patefuls of lovely bread..may be worth a try! The similarities continue- I have your cupcake tray in pink. Eek.Will try your recipe at the weekend, sounds fab!x

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  3. Yummy soup - one of the meals we can cook! Although it is not the homemade variety!
    If you ever fancy being a soup kitchen then i'll be round!
    Frank quite likes soup - sadly he prefers tomato from a can - blame my Mother!!
    Ted on the other hand is simply appalled by the idea!!
    Because I oppose the idea of cooking two meals F. doesn't really get it at home - Grandma does tho!!

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