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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.