It’s cold today. Which is great – because we are having soup tonight! I would, in fact, have soup every night, much to the chagrin of the Trois Boys de la Maison*….
Anyway, tonight we are having Lentil and Chickpea Soup (with lots of herbs from our little Courtyardygarden). It’s based on a recipe I found here.
I was just reading on a foodie type website that there are 37 types of deliciously famous soup. The page is called ‘Types of Deliciously Famous Soups of the World’. I think that is a splendid name for a web page. Some of these soups are just ugly though. I’m not sure how they arrived at this number or these soups… but here is the list.
- Ajiaco
- Avgolemono
- Borscht
- Bouillabaisse
- Caldo verde
- Callaloo
- Cock-a-leekie
- Cullen Skink
- Egg Drop
- Erwtensoep
- Faki soupa – yum
- Fanesca
- Fasolada – yum
- Fufu and Egusi
- Gazpacho – yum
- Ginataan
- Ginseng
- Goulash – yum
- Menudo
- Minestrone – yum
- Miso soup -yum
- Mulligatawny Soup – yum
- Iskembe çorbasi
- Pho – yum
- Pozole
- Scotch Broth – yum
- Shark Fin
- Shchav
- Solyanka
- Sour Soup – yum
- Tarator
- Tom Yam – yum
- Torpedo
- Trahana
- Vichyssoise
- Waterzooi
- Zurek
Admittedly I have not tried nearly ALL of the list of deliciously famous soups of the world. Actually, i really don’t want to. Especially the torpedo one from Malaysia which contains Bulls Penis. Yeurgh.
ANYWAY! It’s TIME for a giveway! Post your favourite soup recipe on your blog – or in my comments – by THIS time next Sunday, and you could WIN… ummm…. what would you LIKE to win?! How about a TEN vintage Fat Quarters?! OK – that’s the rules! Off you go!
xx
Mikes
*(i don’t know, the word chagrin makes me want to get all flowery and French with my language.)
Oh no! Did I miss the cut-off? How did I miss this (I subscribe to your ravings)?!
Anyway…my fave soup is good old fashioned chicken soup. The recipe, straight from my Eastern European heritage, is:
1 whole free-range chook
2 large or 4 small carrots, peeled
1 large or 2 small parsnips, peeled
1 large or 2 small leeks, trimmed
1 celeriac, peeled (or if unavailable, which is often the case, half a bunch of celery, trimmed)
small handful of black peppercorns
few bay leaves
salt to taste
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Throw it all in a large pot, add 3-4 L of water, bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for an hour or so.
Then keep what you like, throw out what you don’t.
Serve with fine egg noodles (we use special ones which are like 3 cm long vermicelli, available from European delis) and a sprinkle of finely chopped continental parsley. Mmmmmmmmm!!! Cures all ailments.
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The chicken is delicious fresh out of the soup, and you can keep the rest for sandwiches or whatever the next day.
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May be used as a base for many other soups (as a rich chicken stock).
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Asian variation: add a head of garlic and a couple of knobs of ginger (or even a couple of star anises) then serve with the chicken shredded, and a handful of fresh coriander.
Hullo! I just came across your blog today, but thought I would suggest my favorite soup…
Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup
Ingredients:
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cups canned or packaged vegetable stock
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
2 cans (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 palm full
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 palm full
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, eyeball it in the palm of your hand
Coarse salt
20 blades fresh chives, chopped or snipped, for garnish
Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion. Sauté onions for 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans and pumpkin puree. Stir to combine ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne and salt, to taste. Simmer 5 minutes, adjust seasonings and serve garnished with chopped chives.
It’s pretty spicy and perfect for warming up your belly!
Hi Pip
Here’s my favourite soup. So rich and hearty for the cold days. Be sure to have lots of crusty soup on hand!
http://sheeps-clothing.blogspot.com/2008/01/thursday-book-review.html
Carrot and Coriander Soup
Ingredients:
1 Onion
3 Garlic Gloves
1 Potato
8 Carrots (peeled and diced)
1 Cup Lentils
2 litres of Stock
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Cook onion in oil, then add garlic and cook for a bit longer.
Add carrots and potato and cook for a minute or two stiring, then add stock and lentils. Cook for about 20 minutes and add come ground coriander seeds, then whizzy it up so it is nice and smooth.
I put greek yoghurt in to add some yum to it and it is best with homemade bread. The colour is also lovely. Here is a picture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/annalauraart/2273685596/
Something I have learnt about soup making, it doesn’t take long. I would always spend hours, and end up with yuck. Now I spend 20-30 minutes and it is MUCH nicer. I use stock cubes and they are good, I think they are Massel brand. I made a chicken soup the other day (Gareth had a cold) and it was lovely, again, I only cooked the chicken for an hour and a half and I got rid of the vegies I had used in the stock at they lost the flavour as it was in the stock. I added more when I cooked it again, but didn’t cook them for long.
How fun. I am definitely in. I have just posted one of my favourites – red lentil and spinach soup with croutons – and a little something extra on my blog.
http://bigcatsemporium.blogspot.com/
I can’t believe that French Onion doesn’t make the list of Deliciously Famous Soups of The World. Unfortunately I can’t find my favourite recipe for onion soup either.
P.S. If you’re a knitter, check out the quick mug-cost pattern link I jusy found. It’s on my blog. Keeps the soup warm and snug!
Mmm, soup! It’s so cold here in Canberra today that I HAD to post my ultimate easy peasy speedy soup recipe for warming hands and hearts!
Chicken, Leek and Risoni Soup –
1 tsp oil, 1 leek (sliced), I chicken breast (sliced thinly), 4 cups chicken stock, 1/3 cup risoni (or other small pasta), 1 Tblsp chopped parsley, pepper to taste.
Heat oil over med heat, add leek and chicken, cook 2 mins, add stock and pasta, cook 8 min or until pasta al dente. Sprinkle greenery on top. YUM with toasted Turkish bread in a big mug!!
Hi Pip. I’ve just posted a spicy spinach coconut soup on my blog. Very easy and only uses staples that I usually have even when the cupboard is bare.
I am not a prolific commenter but wanted to let you know that I check in regularly and do enjoy seeing what you have been up to. Thanks! 🙂
Mmmm, Szechuan hot and sour soup is my faaave.
We actually make it using a powder from a sachet but here is a recipe I found!
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/chinesesouprecipes/r/hotsoursoup.htm
Pip, I have had a great time scouring and drinking in your blog the last few days. If I’d only known about your wonderful shop and classes when I was in Australia I would have spent my whole time there.
I spent most of my teen years in Southern Arizona with my family. I fell in love with the myriad of flavors, smells and colors in the food. My favorite soup is Chicken-Avocado Tortilla soup. I posted the recipe on my blog. The blog is brand new (nervous smile) so bear with me there. It really is delicious, hope you enjoy.
http://mytwocoldfeet.blogspot.com/
This well used recipe was passed onto us by our friend’s gorgeous elderly english mother….Pumpkin Cream Soup: Pumpkin, butter, onion, green ginger (or dried ground ginger), flour, chicken stock, milk, salt..Melt 2 tabsp butter in a saucepan. Add 2 tabsp chopped onion, 1 teasp finely chopped green ginger (or 1/2 teasp dried ground) and saute until transparent. Stir in 1 tabsp flour. Add 1 lb pureed cooked pumpkin and cook for 5 minutes. Gradually add 1 pint chicken stock and 1 pint milk. Gently simmer for 5 min. Season to taste. If the pumpkin is a rather tasteless one, a few drops of worcester sauce helps the situation.
the easiest soup ever!!!
1 can creamed corn
1 cup good quality vegetable stock
1 can crab meat
1 potato – cut in cubes
boil away – add a bit more stock or water if you need to…salt & pepper to season and there you have it!!!
easy and delicious!
Oh, I have posted my stodgy soup goodness too… http://georgielove.blogspot.com/2008/02/soupy-soup.html
My fave warming soup to make is
Lentil/Split Pea and Vegetable.
In its easiest form I have made it with one of those soup packs of veges consisting usually of potato, swede, turnip, parsnip, onion, celery, and carrot and a tin of brown lentils. Or just use whatever root veges you like/have on hand. I prefer to use dried red or green lentils or split peas but the tinned work fine too.
Cut everything up chunky, fry off onion, clove of garlic and celery in a little splosh of olive oil til soft. add all root veges and a litre of so of stock, add lentils/split peas here if using dried red lentils, cook til mostly soft, add any green veges you have that are looking sad in the crisper, eg green beans, peas, zuchhini, cabbage etc and add lentils here if using tinned. Salt and pepper well, cook til everything soft.
Done! I usually mash some of it up with a potato masher as I like that consistancy but whatever you prefer.
Eat with heaps of crusty fresh bread spread with butter.
A bit of a cheat here my favourite soup recipe is on my Hubbies site, he does the best cooking in our house. http://www.viewinsidehead.blogspot.com/ But I was the one who made the stock, so perhaps it still counts.
I’ve posted my favourite cold, lazy day soup recipe 🙂 http://goatinacoat.blogspot.com/2008/02/bulgarian-red-pepper-soup.html
hey pip, i’ve posted my fave soup on my blog. check it out, it’s super easy.