Tag: Soups

Mushroom Soup
At winter, nothing warms the heart like a delicious home-made soup. Soup, in our family is special. Our marriage began with tender whispers over an extremely salty bawl of chicken soup. Yes, I admit, my cooking skills might have slightly improved ever since. Yet, one thing remains a constant. Home is, where the soup is.

Today, we have a mushroom soup on the menu. October – March is my favourite time to use all sorts of mushroom varieties for soups, risotto, even Asian meals. Somehow, I can’t help but think that mushrooms remain slightly underrated. Always a garnish but rarely the main event. This is certainly not true with today’s family meal. I love its intense earthly flavour. A soup of mushrooms, celery and onion might sound deceptively simple, but when something is the best, there is no real need for more. And this is exactly what this recipe is. Simply the best! Served with a tender toasted slices of bread, topped with left over mushrooms, who might ever need for more?
Ingredients

600 g mixed mushrooms

1 onion

2 sticks of celery

3 cloves of garlic

a few sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley

a few sprigs of fresh thyme

olive oil

1.5 litres vegetable stock

75 ml single cream

6 slices of bread

extra virgin olive oil
Method

1. Brush the mushrooms clean, then finely slice.
2. Peel and finely slice the onion, celery and garlic, then pick the parsley, finely chopping the stalks. Pick the thyme leaves.
3. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion, celery, garlic, parsley stalks, thyme leaves and mushrooms, pop the lid on and cook gently until softened.
4. Spoon out 4 tablespoons of mushrooms, and keep for later.
5. Pour the stock into the pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper, then whiz with a stick blender until smooth.
7. Pour in the cream, bring just back to the boil, then turn off the heat.
8. Toast the slices of bread on a hot griddle pan, then top with most of the reserved mushrooms and drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
9. Spoon the soup into bowls, garnish with the chopped parsley and remaining mushrooms, and serve with the toasted bread on the side.

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January 28, 2020
Spicy Butternut Squash Soup
Soups and salads are my absolutely favourite meals. There is something so ecstatically revitalising in small spoonfuls of vegetables, irrespective if they might be fresh or cooked. But my husband and I are often in disagreement. I could happily live on lighter menus, while for him a day is not a day without a heavy dose of meat, pasta, potatoes or rice. Compromise is not always easy, yet we have learned how to plan ahead and combine lighter dishes with heavy meals for Her and for Him.

Occasionally, we both agree on the irresistible qualities of a meal, bringing joy and satisfaction to us all. This delightful rich and spicy butternut squash soup has been a real surprise for both of us. Velvety and creamy, it does not require many vegetables to make a perfect taste. However, all taste and flavours and aromas are coming from a clever dry and fresh spice mix, transforming a simple soup to a culinary marvel. Turmeric, lovage, coriander, fennel, cayenne red pepper, star-anise, cumin, black pepper… Something magic happens with all spice combined. Humble tastes transform into deep, rewarding flavours. Making the soup into a real celebratory meal, we add a tea spoon of crème fraîche, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and for the still hungry family members (read Him) a slice of multi-grain brown bread.
Ingredients

1/2 butternut squash (peeled and diced)

2 carrots

1 red onion

2 celery sticks

1 garlic clove (minced)

1 tsp turmeric

pinch of dried lovage

pinch of ground coriander

pinch of ground fennel

pinch of ground cayenne red pepper

pinch of ground star-anise

pinch of ground cumin

pinch of black pepper

salt

1 vegetable bouillon cube

fresh coriander leaves

fresh parsley leaves

sunflower and pumpkin seeds

crème fraîche

1 tbsp olive oil

400ml water
Method

1. Heat one table spoon of olive oil in a deep cooking pot.
2. Add the minced garlic and chopped red onion and let them soften a little for maximum 5 minutes.
3. Chop the carrots, butternut squash and celery sticks in thin slices.
4. Add the vegetables to the pot and stir all the ingredients for 5 minutes.
5. Pour in the water. Add the dry spices and the vegetable bouillon cube and let the soup boil on medium heat for 20 minutes.
6. Season with salt and black pepper and add the fresh coriander leaves. Let the soup boil for additional 2 minutes.
7. Bled the soup together until smooth.
8. Serve with a tea spoon of crème fraîche, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and fresh parsley leaves.

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March 7, 2019
Roasted Cauliflower Creamy Soup
It is snowing outside. White, pure, heavy snow. Within minutes the garden is covered in white and something peaceful and new settles upon the land. Like a blanket of light. Like a promise of warmth and a new tomorrow. Something deep stirs within the soul and all is as it should be. Winter snow falling like childhood memories. I wait impatiently for the whiteness to fully cover the earth and jump outside to feel, smell and be one with the winter. There is a Bulgarian poet saying that “his soul is earning for snow, eager to leave a pure clean footstep on its surface”. I feel the same way. I inhale deep the crisp cold air and watch as my breath melts the falling snow. Its tender touch caressing my skin, my smile welcoming its dance with child like wonder.

There is nothing more blissful than coming home from a fresh winter walk outside and be welcomed with the smell of fragrant warm soup. Winter soups are something amazing. Deep-earth fragrant, they have the power to go deep within and warm the darkest places. This creamy roasted cauliflower soup, takes a humble vegetable and sings all its glory. Something magical happens with cauliflower in the oven. It terns from fresh and tender, light and fragrant taste to deep, caramelised perfection. One flavour makes it all, but not quite yet, a sprinkle of ground nutmeg and a few droplets of lemon juice take it to a completely new dimension and before you know, a humble cauliflower soup terns into an exquisite culinary dream. A must try to all winter veggie lovers.
Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Fine sea salt

1 medium red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

250ml vegetable broth

250ml light soya cream

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more if needed

Scant ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley and chives
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C degrees. If desired, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. On the baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly and evenly coated in oil. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Bake until the cauliflower is tender and caramelised on the edges, 25 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway.
3. Once the cauliflower is almost done, in a soup pot, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and turning translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the broth.
5. Reserve 4 of the prettiest roasted cauliflower florets for garnish. Then transfer the remaining cauliflower to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, to give the flavours time to meld.
6. Once the soup is done cooking, remove the pot from the heat and blend the soup until smooth.
7. Add the light soya cream and if necessary some more water and blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice and nutmeg and blend again. Add additional salt, to taste. This soup tastes amazing once it’s properly salted! You can also a little more lemon juice, if it needs more zing. Blend again.
8. Top individual bowls of soup with roasted cauliflower florets and a sprinkle of chopped parsley and chives.

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January 24, 2019
Celeriac & Watercress Soup
Many culinary TV programs have left a lasting impression and have added new favourite dishes to our home-made kitchen, but none so as our beloved and admired Mary Berry. My bookshelves are full with her cookbooks and she is always a first stop when I am attempting a classic meal. There is something so reliable and reassuring knowing that her recipes will always work. Expanding my culinary repertoire with her dishes has taught me so much, something for which I am forever grateful.

Watching her BBC TV program Classic Mary Berry, makes me naturally curious to try something new – a light and easy Watercress soup containing delicious celeriac with beautifully green and flavoursome watercress.

So fragrant and delicious the celeriac makes for such a healthy meal. The watercress however is a new discovery for me. It is 95% water and has low contents of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and dietary fiber. A 100-gram serving of watercress provides 11 calories, is particularly rich in vitamin K, and contains significant amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, riboflavin, vitamin B6, calcium, and manganese. But most distinctly it has a fresh, delicious peppery taste that in combination with the celeriac makes the soup a soup of heaves!
Ingredients

2 tbsp sunflower oil

2 large onions, roughly chopped

750g peeled celeriac, diced

1 1/2 litres vegetable or chicken stock

200g watercress, reserve a few sprigs for garnish

About 4 tbsp crème fraîche or double cream

Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Method

1. Heat the oil in a large deep saucepan. Add the onion and fry over a medium heat for 5 minutes until just starting to brown. Add the celeriac and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to colour. Pour in the stock and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until completely tender.
3. Add the watercress and stir over the heat for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Blend until smooth, either with a hand blender or in a free-standing blender or food processor. Check the seasoning and add more salt or black pepper if needed.
4. Serve hot, adding a spoon full of crème fraîche or double cream and garnish with the reserved watercress springs.

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October 10, 2018
Tom Ka Gai Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
We are a family of foodies. Unashamed, our summer time holiday destination selection has began to change adding “fine cuisine” as a top criteria. Bathing or taste buds in a sumptious tasty experience is not something solely received for vacations. Every Christmas and birthday celebration has become an occasion for new delightful cookbooks to enter into our family collection with the hope, that not before too long, we will be discovering new amazing family favourite dishes.

This Christmas season cookbook gifts have opened our world to Asia. We have already tried Thai fish pancakes and Thai green curry falling deeper and deeper into the Thai cuisine – light, well balanced and full of flavour, but most of all so quick and easy to make.

This coconut milk chicken soup takes less than half and hour to make, yet it offers real celebration of healthty light meal full of warmth and tender, fragrant flavour.
Ingredients

500 ml Coconut milk

800 ml Water

3 cm Fresh Galanga root (grated)

2 Stalks Lemongrass

4 Lemon leaves

1 Chicken boullion cube

1 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)

2 tbsp Fish Sauce

1 Shallot

300 g chicken filet

150 g oyster mushrooms

1 tbsp lime juice

handful of fresh coriander leaves

1 red chilli
Method

1. In a deep cooking pot mix together the coconut milk and the water, letting them gently simmer over a medium heat.
2. Add the grated galanga, lemongrass stalks and the lemon leaves and leave them to boil for 10 minutes until the flavours are infused.
3. Take the lemongrass and the lemon leaves out.
4. Add the chicken bouillon, the palm sugar and the fish sauce.
5. Slice the shallot into thin cubes and add to the soup. Cut the chicken filet into small cubes and add to the soup. Boil for 5 minutes.
6. Cut the red chilli pepper into small pieces and add to the soup.
7. Cut the oyster mushrooms into thin slices and add to the soup. Let it boil for 5 more minutes.
8. Garnish the soup with a handful of freshly chopped coriander leaves.

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April 12, 2018
White Asparagus Soup
Sunday morning walk in the woods, life cannot start any better on a fresh, blue sky spring sunny day. Only a short drive away from home, resides one of our favourite family locations for a tranquil walk in nature – the Lemmens music academy in Leuven. Parking the car in front of the building we would frequently hear classical music being played, but as tempting the performance might be we rarely stop to listen and instead hurry away, zig-zaging behind the building deep into the woods, seeking seclusion beneath the majestic century old trees.

The wood is always offering its abundance of life, wether it would be the first spring bird singing or the joyful squirrels jumping close to our side we partake gladly in its magic and take small tokens of gifts back home – a handful apples, chestnuts, flowers… This trip has not been any different. The fruit trees are not quite yet full of blossom but the aromatic sweet viollets have casted their delicate perfume all over the place. Taking a handful I know exactly how to enjoy them during our family lunch.

The sweet violettes are among the edible flowers and are often garnishing sophisticated meals. Today, they are gracing our table as finishing touch on a delicious German white asparagus soup. Smooth, buttery and creamy, this soup’s delicate flavour could be a start of a special family meal and is often associated with traditional Easter Sunday lunch in Belgium.
Ingredients

1 bundle fresh white asparagus

1 tbsp sugar

Salt, to taste

6 tbsp butter

1 tsp vinegar

6 tbsp flour

1 chicken bullion cube (Knorr)

1 cup heavy cream

Sweet edible violletes

Radish sprouts
Method

1. Bring 12 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot over high heat. Meanwhile, trim about ¹⁄₂” from the ends of the asparagus. Lay spears on a work surface, then peel thin skin from each with a sharp swivel-blade vegetable peeler, starting 1 ¹⁄₂” from the top and running the length of the spear. (Spears are brittle and can snap when peeled in midair.) Reserve peels. Gather spears into 2 bundles and tie loosely with kitchen string.

2. When the water in the pot comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium. Add the reserved peels, sugar, 2 generous pinches of salt, 3 tbsp. of the butter, and 1 tsp of the vinegar. Return to a simmer, then add asparagus and cook until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 8-30 minutes, depending on thickness of asparagus. Remove asparagus from pot and drain on paper towels, then set aside. Increase heat to medium-high and reduce stock by one-third, about 30 minutes. Strain stock and keep hot over low heat.

3. Melt the remaining 3 tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2 minutes. Do not allow flour to brown (it will color soup). Whisk in hot asparagus stock 1 cup at a time and continue whisking until smooth. Simmer soup, stirring often, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Add cream and continue simmering for 2 minutes more. Season to taste with salt, pepper and chicken bullion cube if you like.

4. Untie asparagus bundles, then cut spears into 1” lengths and add to soup. Simmer for 1 minute more. Adjust seasonings. Ladle soup into warmed bowls and garnish with sweet edible viollets and radish sprouts, if you like.

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March 26, 2017