Real Home Made Vegetable Soup is Quick to Make and Offers a Gourmet Way to Make Your Food Budget Go Further.
Home made vegetable soup may be made with the simplest of ingredients and taste great. Experiment by varying the ingredients; use what you have in the store cupboard to avoid wasting food. The addition of an herb or spice can transform a simple soup into a real gourmet dish.
Homemade soup is a great, healthy way to include fresh vegetables in a delicious recipe, and, if you watch the ingredients, it can be a satisfying, low-fat meal in itself.
Homemade soup is just one example of a simple way to to save money on food while eating well.
Basic Ingredients to serve two
- One large or two small onions, peeled and chopped. May be replaced by leeks or shallots.
- 2 cups of mixed vegetables of your choice, for example leek and potato, chopped into small pieces. Vary this quantity to taste, some prefer a thinner soup, while others like a thick, substantial soup. Cooked pulses such as lentils may be included here.
- 1 pint (approx 500 ml) good stock. Real Home Made Bone Stock will make the best soups; delicious and nutritious. For a simple, or vegetarian, option use either homemade vegetable stock, or use a good quality store bought bouillon or stock.
- Fat or oil for frying. A mixture of butter and vegetable oil suitable for frying, such as sunflower, works well. Enough to cover the bottom of your pan, and then a little more.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Unrefined sea salt, such as delicious sel de Guerande from France, works well as it adds additional flavor and mineral content. Freshly ground black pepper gives the best flavor.
- Herbs and Spices. Use herbs and spices with care. Experiment to create subtle flavors, using one herb or spice at a time initially until you get to know the effect on the flavor your soup.
- Soured Cream or Crème Fraiche. Creme Fraiche d'Isigny makes a delicious addition to vegetable soup. (optional)
Cooking technique
- Heat the fat or oil in a thick bottomed saucepan on a moderate heat, add the onions, then fry gently for five minutes. Avoid letting them brown during frying. Add other chopped vegetables (except cooked pulses), and any spices, and fry gently for another five minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the stock, any cooked pulses, salt and pepper to taste, and herbs. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for half an hour.
- If you would like a thick, smooth soup then liquidize your soup in a food processor. You may like to retain some of the soup with “lumps”, and add it back into the soup after processing.
- Taste your soup and add seasoning if necessary.
- If you choose to add soured cream or crème fraiche then serve the soup in individual bowls and add a spoonful to each bowl when it has cooled a little, it can then be stirred in to give a delicious flavor and creamy consistency.
Some soup recipe ideas
Experimentation is the key, both to make the most of what you have in your store cupboard or garden, and also to best suit the tastes of your family.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Leek, potato, bay leaf and a small pinch of nutmeg
- Cooked red lentils, cayenne, coriander, cumin and cardamom
- Mushroom, parsnip, cayenne and cumin
- Delicious and unusual nettle and oat soup
The copyright of the article Home Made Soup in Healthy Cooking is owned by Joanne E. Brannan. Permission to republish Home Made Soup in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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