Broccoli, Bacon & Potato Soup

One of the best things about soups is how forgiving they are.  You can really vary the amounts according to your taste and what you have on hand. 

This particular concoction has become popular in my kitchen in recent months, thanks mainly to Andrew who made the first version which was simply delicious!   When he said "broccoli soup" I must admit I shivered just a little as broccoli is not one of my favourite vegetables although I do eat it.  This soup is a really good way to eat it and enjoy it at the same time though!

Ingredients:
2 tbsps of butter
4 onions - chopped
6 cloves of garlic - peeled, crushed and finely diced
8 rashers of bacon - chopped
4 heads of broccoli - washed and roughly chopped
4 large kumara (sweet potato) or potatoes - washed and sliced
Mushrooms or 2 cans of concentrated mushroom soup
2 - 3 litres of good chicken stock
2 cups of grated cheese
fresh cream (optional)
sour cream (optional)
Salt and pepper to your preferences

Method:
In a large pot stir fry the onions, garlic and bacon in the butter until they begin to nicely caramelize.

Add the chicken stock, broccoli, kumara or potatoes and bring to the boil.  Simmer for 45 minutes, turn off and let cool slightly, then use a stick mixer or blender to cream and smooth the soup. 

Add the mushroom soup concentrate or fresh mushrooms, bring back to the boil and simmer for another 15 minutes. 

Turn down to a low heat and add the 2 cups of melted cheese. Stir.  At this stage you can also add some fresh cream or sour cream if you wish, stir through and then turn off the heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Optional: add 1 - 2 tsps of curry powder when you add the stock.

Serve with fresh bread rolls or toast. 

Pumpkin Soup

One of the best things about winter is the opportunity to indulge my love for homemade soup.  Pumpkin soup is one of my favourites.  It's so filling, delicious, healthy and cheap to make.

This is the recipe I usually make.  As always, any leftovers which need using up can generally be added, such as vegetables, pasta, meat and so on - soup is usually very forgiving!

Chop up pumpkin pieces, wash and cook in a large pot. Allow to cool. Take out pumpkin pieces with a slotted spoon and peel off skin. Retain the water the pumpkin cooked in. Put the now skin-less pumpkin pulp back in the water and mash with a potato masher.  Alternatively you can roast pumpkin in the oven, remove the skin and mash for the soup. 

I give the cold pumpkin skins to the hens who enjoy eating them.

Next roughly chop:

2 - 3 large onions
4 - 5 cloves of garlic
3 - 4 rashers of bacon or 2 - 3 ham steaks

Saute in a little olive oil or butter until brown and then add to the pumpkin pulp and pumpkin water. Bring to the boil.  You can just add them directly to the pumpkin and water mixture if you prefer.

Whilst bringing to the boil add chicken stock or use 1 or 2 chicken oxo or instant stock cubes and add more water as necessary.

Add salt, a good teaspoon - check at the end to see if a little more is needed if it is a large pot.

If desired add 1 to 2 heaped tsps of curry powder, according to taste.

Simmer until cooked (usually about an hour).

During the last 5 - 10 minutes you can add if desired:

Pasta (spirals are nice).

Black pepper.

Finely chopped silver beet.

Freshly squeezed juice of an orange.

Or turn off and add:

Sour cream (stirred through or served as a dollop on a bowl of soup when served)

Fresh cream

Below : Self sown pumpkins and potatoes grow out of the compost heap. 

Bacon, Tomato, Pumpkin & Carrot Soup

A tasty, economical soup full of nutritious vegetables it's so easy in this slow cooker recipe or make it on the stove top.

Ingredients

3 large onions, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped finely

1 bacon hock

1 litre of beef stock

3 large carrots, diced

4 cups of pumpkin puree (or pieces)

4 cups of tomato puree (or fresh or canned tomatoes – Indian spiced tomatoes are nice in this)

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp mixed herbs

1 tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

2 cups dry pasta (spirals work well)

Cream, coconut cream or sour cream (optional)

Silver beet or spinach, diced (optional)

Brown the onions and garlic in a pan until they start to nicely caramelize.  Transfer to the slow cooker and add the bacon hock, beef stock, carrots, pumpkin, tomatoes, curry powder, mixed herbs, salt and pepper.  Cook on high for 6 hours.  At that point remove the bacon hock . 

Use a blender or stick blender to smooth the soup and then return to the heat.  Remove the meat from the bacon hock in small bite-size pieces and return to the soup mixture with 2 cups of dry pasta and any diced spinach or silver beet you wish to add. Cook for another hour.

Add a can of coconut cream and simmer until the soup is hot at this point or upon serving drizzle cream or sour cream onto the top of the soup.

Serve with garlic bread or bread rolls.

The cooking time required will vary dependent upon the make of slow cooker you use.