Posts tagged soup

Cauliflower Cheese Soup With Sage and Chestnuts

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Cauliflower Cheese Soup With Sage and Chestnuts

Time for another comforting winter soup. I love cauliflower cheese so this soup was sure to please. As chestnuts were also in season and getting ready to be roasted on a humble fire, I thought I’d save them the pain. As they were screaming naughtily at me to eat them, I topped my soup with their creamy, crumbled texture and some crispy sage leaves for some delicate crunch.

  • 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • Large knob of butter
  • 1 garlic clove sliced
  • small bunch of sage leaves, picked
  • 700ml hot stock
  • Salt and pepper
  • 100g or so of strong mature cheddar cheese, grated
  • Sage leaves to fry
  • Olive oil
  • Chestnuts
  1. Begin by getting the chestnuts on to boil. Pop them straight in, they should take about 15 minutes to soften. After this, drain and allow to cool. You can score the top with a cross to make them easier to peel if you like. Once soft, drain and set aside to cool.
  2. Melt the butter with a splash of oil in a pan. Once hot, soften the onion for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the sage leaves and the garlic and fry for a couple of minutes.
  3. Add the cauliflower florets and stir to coat in the onion. Season.
  4. Add the hot stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the cauliflower is really soft when pierced with a knife.
  5. Remove from the heat and blend with a hand blender.
  6. Add a spoonful of creme fraiche or replace some of the stock for milk for a creamier texture if you like. Add the cheese.
  7. Replace back on the heat on low and stir until the cheese had melted. Season to taste
  8. Now heat a thin layer of oil in a frying pan until really hot. Lightly fry the sage leaves until crispy and drain on kitchen paper. Season with a scatter of salt. This oil can now be kept and used as ‘sage-scented oil’ to top your soup or for other recipes and dressings.
  9. Serve the soup topped with crumbled chestnuts, crispy sage leaves and a drizzle of the fragrant oil!

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Creamiest Sweetcorn Soup with Truffle Oil

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Creamiest Sweetcorn Soup with Truffle Oil

I’d never had sweetcorn soup until this beauty, made with 4 large rusks that were bordering edible, cluttering up my fridge. However, it was the creamiest, silky soup I’ve ever made.

I’m never one to sieve anything, especially soups as I think much of the nutrients and goodness are in the skins or roughage and it seems such as waste to chuck the pulp away! However………however…….the sieved version is like eating a shining billowy parachute of silk and is devine. Plus for the waste conscious like myself, the leftover pulp/pureed corn I used economically and deliciously in some amazing cornbread fritters to serve alongside or the next day.

Serves 2 – Sieved, elegant and smooth

Serves 4 – Chunky, rustic and wholesome

  • 4 corn cobs, kernels removed (about 400g)
  • 1.1 litre vegetable stock
  • 50ml double cream
  • 30g butter
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 small leek, chopped finely
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Truffle oil, to serve
  • Chives, to serve
  1. Begin by heating the butter and oil in a pan. Add the leek and garlic and soften over a medium-low heat until translucent.
  2. Remove the kernels from the corn by standing the cobs on end and use a sharp knife to score them off. Add the bay leaf to the pan and the corn. Cook for about 4 minutes.
  3. Add the hot stock and season. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. After this time, remove from the heat and puree with a hand blender or in a food processor.
  5. Add the cream and check the seasoning.
  6. Now if your plan to sieve it, just strain through a fine mesh sieve and retain the silky soup. Use a spoon to get as much of the moisture and starch from the puree as you can. Retain the pulp for some cornbread fritters.
  7. Heat the strained soup and garnish with chives and a drizzle of truffle oil if you like.

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Bonfire Butternut Squash Soup

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Bonfire Butternut Squash Soup

Everytime October comes around and Bonfire night approaches, I make endless batches of this idiot-proof, silky and comfortingly seasonal soup. Its a perfect fingertip warmer on a frosty bonfire night while gazing romantically at the fireworks, however there is only room for love here, for this delicious soup. I topped mine with some leftover homemade ’Mixed Seed Pesto’ and the fried, spicy seeds from inside of my squash. Never throw these away, they are delicious and are this soup’s nutritional side kick in helping battle the winter flu…

  • 1 large butternut squash, peeled, halved and cut into 1 inch chunks. Seeds retained
  • 750ml good chicken stock
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 heaped tsp smoked paprika or more if your like your spice
  • 25g unsalted butter
  • Olive oil
  • Pinch of cinnamon/cumin/coriander
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Begin by melting the butter and a splash of oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and gently fry until soft
  2. Add the paprika and stir for 1 minute. Season with salt.
  3. Add the squash and mix thoroughly. Cover with the stock and bring to the boil.
  4. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the squash is tender and soft.
  5. Meanwhile, fry the reserved seeds in a splash of oil, salt and pepper and a pinch of ground spices of your choice. I used cinnamon here. Once golden and fragrant, drain briefly on kitchen paper and leave to cool.
  6. Once the squash is soft enough, use a hand blender to blend the soup to a thick, smooth, creamy consistency. Add lots of freshly ground black pepper and check the seasoning.
  7. To serve, top with the fried seeds and a spoonful of mixed seed pesto if you like and the fried seeds. Drizzle with some good extra virgin olive oil and prepare to want another bowl!

I tucked into mine with some nutritious, creamy, emerald green ‘pumpkin seed butter’ slathered on crispy oat cakes. My hair, skin and general well being is thanking me in return!imageimage