Baby, it’s cold outside. But inside we’ve got soup. There is no better winter-warmer.
Pea, Rocket and Basil Soup with Lemon Mascarpone
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Serves 4.
Ingredients:
20g butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500g frozen peas
1 litre salt-reduced chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups firmly packed rocket leaves
1 cup firmly packed basil leaves
200g tub mascarpone cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
Grissini or crusty bread, to serve
Method:
Melt butter in a large saucepan, add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent.
Add peas and stock, bring to a gentle boil for 5 minutes or until peas are tender, remove from heat and stir in rocket and basil.
Immediately blend soup until smooth, stir in two thirds of the mascarpone and season to taste. Reheat gently before serving.
Mix remaining mascarpone with lemon rind.
To serve, spoon warm soup into serving bowls and dollop with lemon mascarpone. Serve with grissini or crusty bread.
Sweet Potato, Red Lentil and Capsicum Soup
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
1 large onion, diced
2 red capsicums, roughly chopped
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
pinch dried chilli flakes, plus extra for serving
salt, to taste
500g orange sweet potato, peeled and chopped
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 cup red lentils
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
500ml Greek-style natural yoghurt
½ cup finely chopped coriander, plus extra for garnish
Method:
Heat oil in a large pot, add onion and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add capsicums, ginger, garlic, spices and salt and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add sweet potato, tomatoes, lentils and stock to the pot and simmer, partly covered and stirring occasionally, for 45-50 minutes or until the vegetables and lentils are tender.
Cool slightly before blending then return to the pot. Warm gently without boiling and stir through half the yoghurt and coriander.
Serve with a swirl of remaining yoghurt and garnish with coriander and chilli.
Handy tips: The soup may be made ahead and refrigerated before reheating and adding the yoghurt. Thin the soup with extra stock or water if desired.
Yoghurt and Pearl Cous Cous Soup with Corn and Bacon
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
1 litre chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
½ cup pearl couscous
2 cups Greek-style natural yoghurt
1 tbsp cornflour
1 egg, beaten
1 corn cob, kernels trimmed
2 middle rashers bacon, trimmed and finely chopped
½ red onion, finely chopped
Coriander leaves and freshly ground black pepper, for serving
Method:
Bring stock, bay leaves and cinnamon to the boil in a large saucepan. Add couscous and simmer covered for 10 minutes until tender.
Whisk yoghurt, cornflour and egg until smooth, then whisk a ladleful of hot stock into the yoghurt mixture until combined. Slowly whisk yoghurt mixture into the remaining stock and continue cooking, stirring until thickened and just beginning to boil.
Meanwhile, cook corn, bacon and onion in a dry frypan over medium heat for 5 minutes until golden.
Ladle soup into bowls, top with corn and bacon mixture and scatter with coriander. Serve immediately.
Creamy Carrot and Coriander Soup
Serves 2.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 small onion, chopped
500g carrots, chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup milk
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
½ cup natural yoghurt
Method:
Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add onion and cumin, sauté for 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add carrot and stock, cover and bring to the boil.
Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until carrots are tender.
Remove from heat and process with a stick blender until smooth.
Return to heat and stir in milk and coriander. Reheat gently until warmed through.
Serve with a dollop of yoghurt and some Parmesan Toasts.
Parmesan Toasts
The perfect accompaniment to some hearty soup.
Serves 2.
Ingredients:
2 slices sourdough bread
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp grated cheddar cheese
Method:
Grill bread on one side until golden. Turn over and top with combined cheeses and grill until cheese is bubbly and brown.
Serve warm with soup.