food.gif (6596 bytes)

Basic Soups

                            

A really nourishing soup can turn a light snack into a complete and satisfying meal

 


To serve with soup

Croutons

You will need:

Hot fat for frying

Bread

I Cut bread into really small dice or other shapes.

2 Toast or fry in hot fat until crisp and golden brown.

3 Drain on kitchen paper.

 

Caraway seed toast fingers

you will need:

Crusts from slices of bread

Butter

caraway seeds

1 Butter one side of the crusts only and sprinkle with caraway seeds.

2 toast the buttered side to a golden brown and cut into fingers.

3 Serve at once.

 

Melba toast

Cut wafer-thin slices of stale bread and crisp them in the oven on a moderately low heat until golden brown.

 

food.gif (6596 bytes)

 


Asparagus soup

Cooking time just under 10 minutes

You will need for 4 servings:

1 medium can asparagus 1 oz. butter or

1 pint milk margarine

½ oz. cornflower or extra seasoning

1 oz. flour

I Open the can of asparagus and drain the liquid into a jug with the milk.

2 Chop the asparagus into tiny pieces.

3 Heat the butter or margarine, stir in the corn-flour or flour.

4 Add the milk and asparagus stock.

5 Bring to the boil, taste and season.

6 Put in the pieces of asparagus.

7 Heat for a few minutes and serve.

 


food.gif (6596 bytes)

Bean broth

Cooking time under 10 minutes

You will need for 4 servings:

1 pint stock or water with one chicken

stock cube or little yeast extract

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped chives

2 skinned. chopped tomatoes

1 medium can baked beans

1 Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and simmer for approximately 5 minutes.

2 this can be served topped with grated cheese if wished.

 


food.gif (6596 bytes)

Beetroot soup

cooking time just under 10 minutes

you will need for 4 serving.:

1 large cooked beetroot

seasoning

2 chicken or beef stock Cubes

squeeze lemon juice

1 + pints water

To garnish: chopped parsley

1 Skin the beetroot and grate.

2 heat the water and stock cubes.

3 Add grated beetroot, lemon juice and seasoning, and heat for about 5 minutes.

4 Top with chopped parsley.

 


Carrot soup

Cooking time 10 minutes

You will need for 4 servings

8 small carrots

seasoning

1 pint water

1/2 Pint milk

1-2 chicken stock cubes.

 

To garnish

chopped parsley or chives

1 Grate the carrots and simmer for about 8 minutes with the milk and water in which the stock cubes have been dissolved.

2 Season well and include a pinch of sugar if wished.

3 Pour into heated soup cups and garnish with the parsley or chives.

Variations:

Quick cream of carrot soup

Simmer the carrots with the water only. Meanwhile make a white sauce with + oz. butter, + oz. flour and + pint milk. Blend with the carrot mixture and season well.

cheese and carrot soup

During the last 2 minutes of cooking of either the plain carrot soup or cream of carrot soup, stir in 4 oz. grated cheese. If overcooked it will become tough and stringy.

 


food.gif (6596 bytes)

j

Fish soup

cooking time just less than 10 minutes

You will need for 4 servings:

2 good-sized fillets plaice. Whiting or sole

1 oz. butter or margarine

2 teaspoons grated onion seasoning

1 pint milk

+ pint water

+ 02. comfiour or

1 oz. flour

+ pint white wine or

+ pint water

 

To garnish:

Lemon slices chopped parsley

1 Skin the fish and cut into tiny pieces with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors.

2 Simmer the fish with the onion in milk and water for about 5 minutes.

3 Blend the cornflower or flour with the wine or the water.

4 Add to the fish mixture.

5 Bring to the boil, stirring well.

6 put in the butter or margarine and seasoning, and heat for 2-3 minutes.

7 Pour into soup cups and garnish with lemon and parsley.

 


food.gif (6596 bytes)

Speedy green pea soup

cooking time just under 10 minutes

You will need for 4 servings:

1-pint water

pinch dried mint or little chopped fresh mint

1 chicken stock cube

1 small packet frozen peas or 1 can peas

approximately 3 table-spoons top of milk or cream

seasoning

1 Bring water in which stock cube is dissolved to the boil.

2 Put in frozen peas and cook for about 4 minutes. Canned peas need only about 2 minutes heating.

3 Rub through a sieve, return to the pan with the remaining ingredients and reheat.

 

Variation:

To make soup with a stronger flavour, I or 2 finely diced rashers of bacon can also be cooked with the peas.

food.gif (6596 bytes)

Back to food