Something-Else-Soup Please

[AB Editor]

Afternoon.

Today I'd like your soup recipe suggestions.

I do a pretty rockin' tomato & basil soup.

But there's only so much tomato soup one gnome can consume.

So, if you'd kindly offer me your favourite soup recipes which are something-other-than-tomato.

Preference would be for vegtable soups in the main, but all suggestions are of course, welcome.

Thanks in advance,

Ed

[AB Editor]

Mrs. O's Soup is a winner. A bit too sweet for others involved - just right for me.

Mrs. O I tip my hat to you.

[NoMercy]

A bog standard chicken soup can be completely transformed with the addition of "Thai flavours".

Boil the carcass to make a nice stock. Add vegetables and blend/purée. Add a jar of green curry paste and a small amount of coconut milk (optional) and hey presto!

[mrs_overall]

Ed - thanks for letting me know. I am the original soup dragon and can make soup out of anything.
My ultimate favourite soup is smoked haddock chowder

1 large potato, peeled & diced
1 onion, peeled & diced
Veg stock
Large tin of sweetcorn blitzed in the blender OR a large can of creamed sweetcorn
Pkt smoked haddock, flaked
Seasoning

Cook the spud & onion in the veg stock for 15 mins. Add the smoked haddock & sweetcorn. Cook for another 10 mins and serve.
Simples!

[AB Editor]

That sounds good too!

I might give it a crack tonight.

[pastafreak]

Spanish Chickpea soup -this is a meal in a bowl.

One each onion,potato,medium carrot,stick celery-finely diced
6 cloves garlic-minced
3 tins chickpeas
2tsp ground cumin

4 cups veggie stock...from cubes is fine
pinch saffron-optional
2tsp basil
black pepper/cayenne to taste

1/2 cup peas
3tsp red wine vinegar
1 medium tomato-minced

Saute the diced veggies along with the cumin, until starting to soften. Add the stock,and the basil ,saffron and pepper. Bring to the boil-and then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly-then whizz a bit with a hand blender-it should still be quite chunky. Add the vinegar,tomatoes and peas and re-heat gently.

[Jan1957]

Vegetable and Chick Pea Soup

1 large red onion, finely chopped
4 celery sticks
2 large garlic cloves
1 carrot, finely diced
1 small red chilli, deseeded and diced
1.2 litres vegetable stock
200g small baby new potatoes
100g fine asparagus tips
200g can chickpeas, drained
200g frozen soya beans or broad beans

Place a non-stick saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion, celery, garlic, carrot and red chilli and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
Pour over the vegetable stock, bring to the boil then add the potatoes. Simmer for 12-15 minutes or until tender.
Add the asparagus tips, chickpeas and the frozen beans for the last 4 minutes of cooking, season and add chopped parsley and mint before serving.

[DTCwordfan]

A Delia spec but one of her better ones:

Ingredients
12 oz (350 g) cucumber
1 small lettuce (approx 8 oz, 225 g in weight), washed and dried
6 oz (175 g) shelled peas
1 teaspoon butter
5 spring onions, chopped finely
1½ pints (850ml) vegetable stock
Approx. 2 tablespoons single cream
1 tablespoon fresh snipped chives
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method

First melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the chopped spring onions and let them cook gently for 5 minutes. Meanwhile chop the cucumber into chunks (no need to peel) and shred the lettuce.

After the five minutes is up add the lettuce, cucumber and shelled peas to the pan. Give it all a stir, then cover and leave the vegetables to sweat gently for 10 minutes.

Next pour in the stock, season with salt and pepper, give it another good stir and bring to the boil. Now reduce the heat to low, put the lid on and let it simmer gently for another 20 minutes. Leave it cool a little, then whiz it all in a blender (probably best in two batches).

Pour the soup into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave it in the fridge to get absolutely cold. When you’re ready to serve, check the seasoning, divide it among four chilled soup bowls, scatter the chives over each serving and swirl about a dessertspoon of cream into each one.

[DTCwordfan]

sorry - that should have been headed "Lettuce, Cucumber and Pea Soup"

[DTCwordfan]

"Preference would be for vegtable soups in the main"

I've never had a soup made with sea water or sea water stock.....unusual, I must say.

[Bromsgrove]

Thank you to Slinky Kate. Your Creamy Vegetable Soup is delicious!

[mrs_overall]

Morning Ed

I made a nice broccoli & stilton soup last night

Broccoli
I potato, peeled & diced
Lump of stilton
Veg stock
Seasoning

Cook the broccolit & spud in the stock for 15 mins. Blitz in the blender. Return to the pan, add the stilton, stir til melted & serve

[albaqwerty]

I'm moving to Whitby.

[boxtops]

Ed, it's not my recipe, but you'll find it in the Covent Garden Soup book - turnip soup. It's different, it's delicate, and it's lush.

[AB Editor]

Broccoli is euphemistic round these parts... I think I'll pass.

The haddock chowder was good. I added a little bit of cream though - because very few things are not improved with cream :)

[mrs_overall]

I must try that boxy - it sounds delish

Alba, you wouldn't fit in here. You need to have at least 6 fingers on each hand

[mrs_overall]

Ed, glad you liked it

All my soup recipes are dead simple - a bit like me really :-)

[boxtops]

try this one mrs o (and Ed) http://www.newcoventg...abbage-stilton-turnip

[mrs_overall]

Thanks boxy - that one is now on the menu for the weekend

[sadielady]

Mexican Soup

1 Onion, chopped
mushrooms, chopped
Chilli powder or flakes, to taste
1 x 400g can Red Kidney Beans (drained & rinsed)
1 x 400g can Baked Beans
1 x 400g can Chopped Tomatoes
1 Red Pepper, chopped
A Handful or two of Pasta (i use Fusilli)
1 - 1.5 pints stock

Gently fry the onion and mushrooms in a little oil until softened.
Place all the ingrdients, except the Pasta into a deep saucepan along with the stock.

Simmer for 25 minutes then add the pasta and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

[Clanad]

Here in the western U.S. this is a staple for us in the fall and winter... more like a meal than just soup... but highly recommended:

Cheeseburger Soup

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1-3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups (8 ounces) processed cheese (here, it's Velveeta), cubed
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
In a 3-qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute the onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream.

(Apologies for the U.S measurements)

Makes about 6 to 10 servings depending on amount of hunger the guests bring to the table...