Although its not quite soup weather today, just give it a few days and i'm sure it will be! (sorry)
Soups are great using frozen veg or a good way to use up vegetables that are getting past their best. Most start with an onion base, just cook gently for a few minutes, throw in a pile of chopped up veg, maybe some garlic and herbs, top up with stock and cook until your veggies are done- ta da! you can blend it up if you want it smooth, or thicken with cornflour, flour or even mashed potato. Lovely!
The cheapest of the cheap has to be Onion Soup
Ingredients; (serves 6)
1kg onions sliced
50g butter or 50ml oil
1 litre stock
2 tbsp flour
You can also add garlic, thyme, rosemary, mixed herbs or bay leaf
Put your sliced onions in a heavy bottomed pan and cook gently for about 45 minutes until golden brown soft and they taste nice and sweet, add flour, stir then add the stock. Cook for about 20 mins. Tastes really good with cheese on toast or garlic bread!
Easy all in soup
1 onion
1 -2 large carrots
1 large potato
150g red split lentils
1 litre stock
You could add ginger, garlic or spices if you want to fancy it up a bit
Chop all your veg and throw it in a large pan, pour in stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins- whizz up with a stick blender- voila soup is ready
Fran's 10 minute pea and mint soup
serves 4-6
2 onions chopped
1tsp oil/butter
1 kg bag frozen peas
tablespoon of fresh mint or 1 heaped tsp mint sauce
750 ml stock (pint and a half)
Gently fry onion until soft, add your frozen peas, mint and stock and cook for 5 mins until the peas have risen to the top of the pan. Whizz with a stick blender and your done
Easy pea and ham soup serves 8
1 onion chopped
1 bag frozen mushy peas
1 pack cheap cooking bacon chopped into small peices
stock to cover mushy peas plus 2 inches
Gently fry onion and bacon until cooked add mushy peas and stock to cover plus an extra two inches above, put on a lid and cook until mushy peas are soft, give a really good stir and add more stock if needed and you're done- suprisingly good!
1 litre chicken, veg or beef stock
50g butter or 50ml oil
1tbsp flour