Broth

250g soup mix ( barley, lentils, peas)
2 medium potatoes- peeled and diced.
2 pints chicken stock (fresh home made)
2 carrots, peeled and dice
1 large sleek, diced
2 sticks of celery
1 cup fine chopped roast chicken
2 rashers bacon
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the soup mix overnight, and boil in water for 40 mins to get it going

Fry the bacon and leeks

add the stock, soup mix, potatoes celery,  carrots, boil for 30 mins

Add add the chicken, and boil for 10 mins. Stir well and season.

Deird’s Smoked Haddock Chowder

25g butter

4 rashers bacon- diced

1 large leek, trimmed & sliced

1 tblspn plain flour

850ml semi-skimmed milk

800g peeled diced potatoe

200g skinless, boneless smoked haddock

2 tblspn chopped chives

fry the bacon and leek, add the potatoes & milk. Simmer till the potatoes are cooked, then add the fish for the last few minutes, so that it’s perfectly poached. add the chives and serve.

Lentil Soup

The taste of this soup hangs on a bay leaf and white pepper. My take on a traditional winter soup. This one is blended, but you could make a broth type soup by chopping the veg finely, and not blending. If you don’t like chopping – blend!

Ingredients:
1 & 1/2 cup of red lentils
2 medium onions
3 medium carrots
2 medium potatoes
4 sticks of celery (big outer ones for flavour)
1 big tomato
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp white pepper
salt to taste

Chop the onion and fry in your soup pan untll soft n browning. Peel and chop the carrots and potatoes – add to the pan.

Chop the celery – short pieces across the grain – it blends easier. Add to the pot, along with the bay leaf, and lentils.

Add enough boiling water to submerge the veg +1cm. Boil till the lentils are falling apart, and the veg softened. Blend! Its easier with a wand blender, but any will do – watch out for splashes, its hot. If you’re opposed to blending, then go at the veg with a potato masher at this point.

Add the white pepper and salt to taste.

Orange & Tomato Soup

A recipe borrowed from my auntie. Really quick and easy, and a a little different. Orange and tomato together, who’d have thought..

500ml tomato passata
1 large orange
200ml water
a little sugar to sweeten, if the tomato is sharp
Cornflour to thicken
Salt, pepper to taste
1/4pt single cream to finish
 
heat passata & water
Grate rind of orange & add
Add cornflour & thicken
Peel orange, remove pith. Cut segments into 1/4s and add
Season
Remove from heat and add cream
Serve adding final dash of cream

Spiced Butternut squash Soup

Spiced Butternut squash Soup

 
2 squash
1 garlic clove
1/4 pt double cream
1pt Chicken stock
1tsp ground ginger
1/2tsp cumin seed
1tsp garam masala
salt to taste
 
Slice squash into wedges oil and add cumin seeds and roast till browning and soft. Peal from skin.
Slice & fry garlic in saucepan
Add stock, and squash to pan & boil for 10 mins
Blend
Add spices & salt to taste
Add cream & serve