recipes

Avocado & soured cream soup

Avocado & soured cream soup

Portions:6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time:5 minutes
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Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
  • 4 spring onions sliced, plus 2 extra to garnish
  • 2 large ripe avocados halved and stoned
  • 4 tablespoons soured cream
  • 600 ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • juice of 2 limes
  • salt and pepper
  • Tabasco sauce

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the spring onions and fry for 5 minutes until softened. Cut very thin strips from the remaining spring onions to create curls. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.
  • Scoop out the avocado flesh from the shells with a dessertspoon and add to a blender or food processor with the fried spring onions, the soured cream and about a third of the stock. Blend until a smooth purée, then gradually mix in the remaining stock and lime juice. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a few drops of Tabasco sauce.
  • Serve the soup immediately while the avocado is still bright green in cups or glass tumblers containing some ice. Scatter the spring onion curls over the soup and serve with breadsticks or grissini.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

For homemade salt & pepper grissini, to serve as an accompaniment, put 250 g (8 oz) strong white flour into a bowl and mix with ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon caster sugar and 1 teaspoon fast-action dried yeast. Add 4 teaspoons olive oil and gradually mix in up to 150 ml (¼ pint) warm water until you’ve made a smooth dough. Knead for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface, then cut the dough into 18 pieces and roll each into a thin rope. Put these on a greased baking sheet, cover with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes. Remove the clingfilm, brush the bread with beaten egg, then sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt and a generous scattering of roughly crushed black peppercorns. Bake in a preheated oven, 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6, for 6–8 minutes until golden. Serve warm or cold with the soup.
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Course Soup

Sour cherry soup

Sour cherry soup

Portions:6
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time:12 minutes
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Equipment

Ingredients

  • 300 ml white riesling wine
  • 450 ml water
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick halved
  • 1 lemon grated rind and juice
  • 475 g pack frozen pitted cherries
  • 300 ml soured cream
  • ground cinnamon to garnish

Instructions

  • Pour the wine and water into a saucepan, add the sugar, cinnamon stick and lemon rind and juice.
  • Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add the still frozen cherries and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Discard the cinnamon stick, then ladle half the liquid and cherries into a blender or food processor.
  • Add the soured cream and then blend, in batches if needed, until smooth.
  • Return the blended liquid to the saucepan and mix well.
  • Chill the soup thoroughly, then ladle into shallow bowls so that the whole cherries can be seen and sprinkle with a little ground cinnamon to garnish. Serve with some cherries on stalks, if liked.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

For peppered strawberry soup, make up the syrup as above with the wine, water, sugar and lemon rind and juice, adding ½ teaspoon crushed coloured peppercorns in place of the cinnamon. Simmer for 5 minutes then add 500 g (1 lb) sliced or halved strawberries depending on their size. Finish the soup as above.
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Course Fruit / Soup

Chillied melon foam

Chillied melon foam

Portions:6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 2 ripe Galia melons
  • 1 lime freshly squeezed juice
  • 1 large mild red chilli deseeded and quartered
  • small bunch of coriander plus extra sprigs to garnish
  • 300 ml pressed apple juice
  • lime wedges to garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Cut the melons in half, scoop out and discard the seeds, then scoop the flesh away from the skin and put it into a blender or food processor with the lime juice, chilli and coriander, torn into pieces. Add half the apple juice and blend until smooth. Gradually mix in the remaining juice until frothy.
  • Pour the soup into cups or glass tumblers half filled with ice and serve immediately, garnished with a sprig of coriander and lime wedges if liked, before the foamy texture loses its bubbles.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

For gingered melon foam, scoop out the flesh from 2 halved, deseeded, charentais melons, then purée with 2 chopped spring onions and 150 ml (¼ pint) low-fat crème fraîche in a blender or food processor. Add 150 ml (¼ pint) ginger beer and purée until frothy. Pour into shallow bowls or back into the empty melon shells to serve.
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Course Fruit / Soup

Beetroot & apple soup

Beetroot & apple soup

Portions:6
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion roughly chopped
  • 500 g 1 lb bunch of uncooked beetroot, trimmed, peeled and diced
  • 1 large cooking apple about 375 g (12 oz), quartered, cored, peeled and diced
  • 1.5 litres vegetable stock
  • or
  • 1.5 litres chicken stock
  • salt and pepper

To finish

  • 6 tablespoons soured cream
  • 1 red dessert apple cored and diced seeds from ½ pomegranate
  • 4 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes until softened. Add the beetroot and apple, pour in the stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the beetroot is tender.
  • Allow the soup to cool slightly, then purée in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into a large jug, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then chill in the refrigerator for 3–4 hours or overnight.
  • Pour the soup into bowls to serve and top with a spoonful of soured cream, sprinkle with the diced apple and pomegranate seeds, then drizzle with a little maple syrup. Serve extra maple syrup in a small jug to add as required and accompany with sliced rye bread, if liked.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

For beetroot & orange soup, fry the onion in oil as above, add the beetroot (omit the apple) and simmer with the stock and a little salt and pepper for 45minutes. Purée the soup as above and mix with the grated rind and juice of 2 large oranges. Chill and serve with a swirl of cream, a drizzle of honey and some orange-rind curls made with a zester.
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Course Fruit / Soup / Vegetables

Cheesy cauliflower & cider soup

Cheesy cauliflower & cider soup

Portions:6
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Ingredients

  • 40 g 1½ oz butter
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 200 g 7 oz potato, coarsely grated
  • 1 cauliflower cut into small florets, woody core discarded, about 500 g (1 lb) when prepared
  • 900 ml chicken stock
  • or
  • 900 ml vegetable stock
  • 300 ml ½ pint dry cider
  • 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
  • 75 g 3 oz mature Cheddar cheese, grated
  • salt and cayenne pepper
  • chopped chives to garnish

Instructions

  • Heat the butter in a saucepan, add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes until just beginning to turn golden around the edges. Stir in the potato and cook briefly, then mix in the cauliflower florets, stock, cider and mustard. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
  • Mash the soup roughly to thicken it slightly, then stir in the cheese and heat, stirring until melted. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then ladle into bowls. Garnish with chopped chives and serve with croûtons (see page 15) or Welsh rarebit toasts.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

For Welsh rarebit toasts, to serve as an accompaniment, mix 125 g (4 oz) grated mature Cheddar with 1 egg yolk, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard and a little cayenne pepper. Toast 4 slices of bread lightly on both sides. Spread the cheese mixture over the top of each then cook under a hot grill until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Cut into thin strips to serve.
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Course Cheese / Soup / Vegetables

Hot & sour soup

Hot & sour soup

Portions:4
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Ingredients

  • 750 ml vegetable stock or fish stock
  • 4 dried kaffir lime leaves
  • 2.5 cm 1 inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 red chilli deseeded and sliced
  • 1 lemon grass stalk lightly bruised
  • 125 g 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 100 g 3½ oz rice noodles
  • 75 g 3 oz baby spinach
  • 125 g 4 oz cooked, peeled tiger prawns, or defrosted if frozen, rinsed with cold water and drained
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Put the stock, lime leaves, fresh root ginger, chilli and lemon grass in a large saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil. Add the mushrooms and simmer for 2 minutes. Break the noodles into short lengths, drop into the soup and simmer for 3 minutes.
  • Add the baby spinach and prawns and simmer for 2 minutes until the prawns are heated through. Add the lemon juice. Remove and discard the lemon grass stalk and season the soup with black pepper before serving.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

For hot coconut soup, make up the soup as above, adding just 450 ml (¾ pint) stock and a 400 ml (14 fl oz) can coconut milk, plus 2 teaspoons ready-made Thai red curry paste. Continue as above and serve sprinkled with a little chopped coriander.
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Course Soup

Mediterranean garlic soup

Mediterranean garlic soup

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Ingredients

  • tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 125 g 4 oz chorizo, diced
  • 6 tablespoons red wine
  • 1 litre 1¾ pints beef stock, or game stock
  • 2 teaspoons tomato purée
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • salt and pepper
  • parsley chopped, to garnish

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the garlic and chorizo and fry gently for 3–4 minutes. Add the wine, stock, tomato purée and sugar, season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer then drop the eggs one at a time into the liquid, leaving space between them. Poach for 3–4 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks set to your liking.
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then ladle an egg into the base of each serving bowl, cover with the soup and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley. Serve with diced croûtons

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

For garlic & potato soup, add 375 g (12 oz) diced potato when frying the onion and chorizo. Add the wine, stock, tomato purée, sugar and seasoning and simmer for 30 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with garlic croûtes topped with grated Gruyère cheese
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Course Soup
Cuisine Mediterranean

Cream of sweetcorn soup

Cream of sweetcorn soup

Portions:4
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Ingredients

  • 40 g 1½ oz butter
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 potatoes diced
  • 25 g 1 oz plain flour
  • 900 ml 1½ pints milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 x 325 g 11 oz cans sweetcorn, drained
  • 6 tablespoons double cream
  • salt and pepper
  • fried bacon crumbled, to garnish

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and potatoes and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, without browning.
  • Stir in the flour, then gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to the boil, add the bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add half the sweetcorn, cover the pan and simmer for 15–20 minutes.
  • Remove and discard the bay leaf and set the soup aside to cool slightly. Purée the soup in a blender or food processor or rub it through a sieve until smooth. Return it to the pan, add the remaining sweetcorn and heat through.
  • Stir in the cream, sprinkle over the bacon and serve the soup immediately.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

For cream of sweet potato & sweetcorn soup, fry the onion in the butter as above, add 425 g (14 oz) diced sweet potato instead of the ordinary potatoes then continue as above. Serve the soup with a little diced and fried chorizo sausage instead of the bacon.
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Course Soup

Prawn & noodle soup

Prawn & noodle soup

Portions:4
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Ingredients

  • 900 ml 1½ pints vegetable or chicken stock (see pages 13 and 10)
  • 2 dried kaffir lime leaves
  • 1 lemon grass stalk lightly bruised
  • 150 g 5 oz dried egg noodles
  • 50 g 2 oz frozen peas
  • 50 g 2 oz frozen sweetcorn
  • 100 g 3½ oz large king prawns, cooked, peeled and deveined, or defrosted if frozen, rinsed with cold water and drained
  • 4 spring onions sliced
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce

Instructions

  • Put the stock into a saucepan with the lime leaves and lemon grass, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add the noodles to the stock and cook according to the packet instructions. After 2 minutes, add the peas, sweetcorn, prawns, spring onions and soy sauce and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove and discard the lemon grass. Serve the soup in warmed bowls.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

For chicken & noodle soup, put the stock, lime leaves and lemon grass into a saucepan then add 2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts that have been diced, bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Continue as above.
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Course Fish / Seafood / Soup