Curried Leek and Kumara Soup

A quick, easy and very tasty soup to make.  I only used about 1 litre of chicken stock and 3 large kumaras (about 1.4 kg) and 1 tablespoon curry powder, instead of the required amount.I also didn't add the yogurt for lack of any.  Apparently a good soup to freeze, before adding the bacon pieces...

*Taken from Women's Weekly cookbooks 'Meals in Minutes', page 72, published 1998*

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium (150g) onion, chopped roughly

2 large leeks, chopped roughly

2 tablespoons curry powder

4 large (2 kg) kumara, peeled and then chopped roughly

2.5 litres (10 cups) chicken stock

2 bacon rashes, chopped finely

1/3 cup (80ml) yogurt

Method

Heat oil in large pan; cook onion and leek, stirring, until leek softens.  Add curry powder; cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add kumara and stock.  Bring to the boil; simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until kuara is just tender.  Blend or process mixture, in batches, until smooth. (Can be prepared ahead to this point; refrigerate overnight or freeze.)

Cook bacon in small heated dry pan, stirring, until browned and crisp; drain on absorbent paper.

Cook soup in large pan until heated through; serve topped with yogurt and sprinkled with bacon.

Chunky Vegetable Soup

This is always a firm favourite vegetable soup in our house.  I have been making it for years and always satisfies.  Thick and hearty.  Enjoy.

*Taken from Family Circle's 'Comfort Food', published 1999, pg 57*

Ingredients

50g butter

1 leek, chopped

1 celery stick, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 large potato, chopped

1 parsnip, peeled and chopped

1 swede or turnip, peeled and chopped

225g sweet potato, chopped

1/2 cup (115g) soup mix

2 litres vegetable stock or water

1 cup (155g) frozen peas

125g green beans, chopped

and the two ingredients I always forget;

1/4 cup (15g) chopped fresh mint

1/3 cup (20g) chopped fresh parsley

Method

Heat the butter in a large heavy-based pan and cook the leek, celery, carrot, potato, parsnip, swede or turnip and sweet potato, stirring for 5 minutes.

Add the soup mix and stock or water.  Bring slowly to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 1/4 hours or until the mix has softened.

Add the peas and beans and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until tender.  Stir in the chopped mint and parsley.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve hot.  Delicious with crusty bread.

Serves 6

Chicken, Vegetable and Pasta Soup

I love a good hearty soup and this is no exception.  Very tasty indeed and Monet really loved it!  I found this recipe in my folder of 'ripped-out' recipes.  It was originally in the July 2006 issue of Australian Women's Weekly magazine.

Ingredients

40g butter

1 large carrot, halved, thinly sliced

2 trimmed celery sticks, thinly sliced

1 large leek, halved, sliced thinly

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 bacon rashes, chopped coarsely

500g chicken thigh fillets, sliced thinly

1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock

2 cups (500ml) water

1 cup vermicelli soup pasta (or risoni or stellini)

50g baby spinach leaves

Method

Heat the butter in a large saucepan; cook the carrot, celery, leek and garlic until softened.  Add the bacon, cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the chicken, cook, stirring, until the chicken is lightly browned.  Add the stock and water, simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.  Add the soup pasta, simmer, covered, for about a further 5 minutes or until the pasta is tender.

Remove from the heat, stir in the spinach.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve topped with parmesan cheese flakes if desired.

Serves 4-6

Minestrone

Nothing better to warm the soul than with a hot cup of soup. Not so good in the tropics of Australia (made us sweat!), but it was cheap, tasty and easy to make. I didn't cook the macaroni first, I added raw macaroni towards the end and let it cook in the soup.

*Taken from Murdoch Books, 'Australian Family Favourites', pg 15, published 2007*

Ingredients
80g (1/2 cup) macaroni
1 tbs olive oil
1 leek, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 carrot, sliced
1 boiling (waxy) potato, chopped
1 zucchini, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
100g green beans, cut into short lengths
425g can chopped tomatoes
2 litres (8 cups) vegetable or beef stock
2 tbs tomato paste
425g tinned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbs chopped flat-leaf (italian) parsely
shaved parmesan cheese, to serve

Method
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the macaroni and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan. Add the leek and garlic and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

Add the carrot, potato, zucchini, celery, green beans, tomato, stock and tomato paste, Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Stir in the cooked pasta and the cannellini beans. Spoon into bowls and garnish with the parsley and parmesan cheese.

Serves 4 - 6

Chunky Chicken and Vegetable Soup

This was good for the soul this soup and quick to make. Instead of using the 2 ripe tomatoes, diced, in this recipe, I cut back on the stock and added a 425g can of crushed tomatoes in stead. Instead of ditalini pasta I used tiny star shaped Italian pasta and a bit extra than stated, to thicken up the soup. The recipe also states to use chicken thighs but I used 1 chicken breast instead.. It was very tasty but Monet didn't think much of it. Typical.

*Taken from Family Circle Book 'Quick Short Chicken Recipes' published 1999*

Ingredients

1 tbs oil

1 carrot, sliced

1 leek, chopped

2 chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2cm pieces

1/4 cup ditalini pasta

1 litre vegetable stock

2 ripe tomatoes, diced

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the carrot and leek over medium heat for 4 minutes, or until soft. Add the chicken and cook for a further 2 minutes, or until the chicken has changed colour.

Add the pasta and the vegetable stock, cover and bring to the boil. (I added the can of tomatoes at that time too.) Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked. Add the tomato halfway through cooking. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve with fresh crusty bread.

Serves 4

Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup

I don't know where I originally got this recipe but over the years I have added and changed a few things, so I am claiming it as my own recipe now! We love this soup, especially Monet!!

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely

4 cups chicken stock

1 cooked chicken breast, chopped into small pieces (or use left over roast chicken like I usually do)

1 can creamed corn, (use either 310g or 440g tin)

1 handful frozen corn kernels

2 spring onions, finely chopped

1 handful of uncooked vermicelli pasta (optional - good for thickening)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and fry the onions until soft, but not brown. Add the chicken stock to the pan followed by the chicken, creamed corn, corn kernels, spring onion and pasta (if using). Bring slowly to the boil (or wait until pasta is cooked through, if using). Add the egg in one long stream, using a fork where it meets the liquid soup, to beat into the mixture. Cook for one minute. Enjoy.

Serves 4-6