Sunday

Made-up soup

Truth be told, I never measure anything when I cook and so the quantities in all the recipes here are just guesses.

This is how I actually make soup:

I slice some onions and garlic, and cook them in olive oil until soft. Then I add a pinch of cumin and cook everything some more. Then I add a can of diced tomatoes and cook it some more. While it's cooking, I slice some potatoes and carrots, and chop some chard and kale. I add all this to the pot and cook it a little bit more. Then I add enough chicken broth and water to cover everything plus a bit. I bring it to a boil, then simmer it for an hour. When the house smells of nothing but the soup, we eat it with some warm cornbread and cold beer.

Good stuff.

 

Friday

Cream of broccoli soup II

1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
1 big boiling potato, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
handful of fresh rosemary, chopped
5 cups chicken or veggie broth
1 cup milk
salt & pepper

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add broccoli, potato and celery, cook for 5 minutes. Add broth and rosemary, bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat 30 minutes. Remove from heat, roughly mash vegetables. Stir in milk, salt and pepper. Reheat and garnish with fresh rosemary.

Served with mixed green salad and grilled chicken.

 

Wednesday

Middle-Eastern-style carrot and lentil soup

8 carrots (preferably a mix of purple, red, orange, yellow & white kinds), ends removed
2 cooking onions, halved
1 anise or fennel bulb, halved
1 head garlic, cloves peeled
1 small red pepper, halved and seeded

5 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 1/2 cups red lentils
big pinch cardamom
big pinch cumin
big pinch tumeric
handful fresh mint, chopped
olive oil
1 cup milk
plain yogurt

Roast vegetables until beginning to blacken (30-45 min). While roasting, cook spices in olive oil for five minutes to form a rich paste. Add stock and lentils, boil for 1 hour adding water if needed. When vegetables are roasted, chop roughly with mint and add to boiling lentils. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour. Puree in batches (using a blender) and return to pot. Stir in milk and reheat. Garnish with plain yogurt and black pepper.

Served with grilled Spanish chorizo and North-African merguez, pita bread triangles and mixed green salad with dijon vinaigrette.