JW Recipes

Archive for the ‘Soups’ Category

What you need:

11 large cucumbers (about 8 lb), divided
1/4 cup honey, divided
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 ripe avocado, peeled and seeded
2 tsp chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Cracked black pepper (optional)
Dill sprigs for decoration (optional)

What you do:

Cut 5 cucumbers into 3-inch chunks. Place half of cucumber chunks and 2 tbsp honey in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour the pureed cucumber mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl. Repeat procedure with the remaining chunks. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Peel, seed, and thinly slice remaining 6 cucumbers; place slices in a bowl. Add vinegar and remaining 2 tbsp honey; toss well to coat. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.

Working with pureed cucumber mixture in a sieve, press mixture lightly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to squeeze out juice, then discard ‘the solids’.

Place half of marinated cucumber slices, avocado, and 1 3/4 cups cucumber juice in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour cucumber mixture into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining cucumber slices and 1 3/4 cups cucumber juice; reserve any remaining juice for another use. Stir in chopped dill, salt, and pepper. Place 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls. Garnish with cracked black pepper and dill sprigs, if desired.

What you need:

4 large  parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks

50g  spinach, roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 tsp hot curry powder

1 tbsp maple syrup

1.5 ltr vegetable stock

150ml double cream

What you do:

Pre-heat the oven to 200 C /400 F / gas mark 6.

Place the parsnips onto a roasting tray, drizzle over the maple syrup and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes. You want the parsnips golden but not burnt.

In a large saucepan gently fry the onion in the olive oil until soft but not browned. Next goes in the garlic and curry powder and continue cooking until you have a wonderful curry aroma filling the air. Then add the vegetable stock and diced potato and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer add the parsnips and cook for 10-15 minutes.

Take the soup off the heat and leave it to cool slightly before blending until smooth. Return the soup to the heat stir in the spinach and cream, season to taste and simmer until the spinach has wilted.

What you need:

1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup chopped  onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken or turkey stock or broth
1 can diced green chilies, drained
2 cups milk
¼ cup plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
2 cups shredded turkey
¾ cup sweetcorn, fresh or frozen
3 Tbs chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
1 cup grated cheese

What you do:

In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes. Add chiles.

In a bowl, whisk together milk, flour, salt, chili powder and cumin. Increase heat to high and whisk milk mixture into soup. Stir until thick and bubbly, about five minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add turkey, corn, coriander and cheese; stir until cheese is melted and soup is hot, around 5 to 10 minutes.

What you need:

For the witches brew

6 cups broccoli florets – steamed

2 cups veggie or mushroom broth
1/3 cup soy creamer, plain
1 cup white potato, baked with skin
1 cup white cannellini beans
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
2-3 Tbsp olive oil + salt to taste
2 Tbsp maple syrup (optional for a sweet accent)
garnish: roasted broccoli florets coated in melted cheddar cheese

For the Cheesy Garlic Broomsticks and Witches Hats
1 ball pizza dough
garlic granules
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

What you do:

Prepare soup in a high speed blender or use immersion handstick blender).

First steam 6 cups of broccoli florets. Add 3 cups to a blender. Also add in the potato, beans, cheese, creamer, optional oil/butter and veggie broth. Blend until smooth. Add in the remaining broccoli and either pulse to keep the soup “chunky” style or puree smooth for a creamy soup. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on stove top until ready to serve.

For the broomsticks:

preheat oven to 200 C /400 F / gas mark 6

Roll out dough to 3/4 ” thick. Slice into long strips (the broomsticks). Then using about 1/4 of the dough, cut out triangle shapes. You can make these into witches hats as well as use them for the broomstick bristles. Slice the triangles into a broom shape. The dough will rise as it bakes, but still resemble the brooms. Lay the brooms and hats on a greased baking sheet. Brush with melted butter & sprinkle with garlic and cheese.

Bake for ten minutes, Broil on high for an additional minute until the cheese bubbles.

Serve the brew!

What you need:

2 3/4 pounds pumpkin or butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 onion, peeled and quartered through the stem
2 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps wiped clean
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 cup olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
5 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium vegetable stock

What you do:

Preheat oven to 230C / 450F /gas mark 8

Cut pumpkin into 2-inch pieces. Combine pumpkin, onion, mushrooms, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Add oil and 2 teaspoons salt; toss to coat, then spread in a single layer. Roast until pumpkin is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 30 minutes, rotating pan and tossing vegetables halfway through. Let cool, then remove skins.

Transfer vegetables to a medium saucepan; heat over medium. Pour in 2 cups stock; puree with a blender until smooth. With the blender running, slowly add remaining 3 cups stock, and puree until smooth. Bring soup just to a simmer. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper.
Cover to keep warm.

What you need:

5¼ oz  /150g chopped onion
1 green pepper, seeded, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely-chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2.1 pts /1.2 vegetable or  chicken stock
1 (14 oz /400g) ) tin diced tomatoes
1 (14 oz /400g ) tin pink beans, rinsed and drained
3½ oz /100g diced fresh avocado, for garnish
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves, for garnish
Lime wedges, for garnish

What you do:

In the bottom of a slow cooker, combine the pork, onion, green pepper, jalapeno, garlic, chilli powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Add the stock, tomatoes and beans, cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.

When ready to serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the avocado and coriander. Garnish the soup with lime wedges.

What you need:

7 oz /200g dried mixed beans or Great Northern beans
2½ pts /1.4 L water
1 (14 oz /400g) ) tin whole tomatoes, with juice
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sticks celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
2 oz / 60g pearl barley
1 bay leaf
1½ tbsp salt, plus additional for seasoning
2 tsp dried Italian herb blend
Freshly ground black pepper
½ oz /5g dried  mushrooms
3 oz  /85g cleaned baby spinach leaves
2¾ oz  /80g freshly grated Parmesan
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil

What you do:

Put the beans, water, tomatoes and their juices, garlic, celery, carrots, onion, barley, bay leaf, 1 1/2 tbsps salt, herb blend, pepper, and porcini mushrooms (if using) in a slow cooker; cover and cook on low until the beans are quite tender and the soup is thick, about eight hours.

Stir in the spinach, cheese, and vinegar, cover, and let the soup cook until the spinach wilts, about five minutes. Taste and season with salt and black pepper, to taste.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and drizzle each serving with olive oil.

What you need:

1 tbsp olive oil
10g butter
2 leeks, trimmed & roughly chopped
225g potatoes peeled & cut into chunks
1 litre vegetable stock ( 1 cube)
1/2 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
a little grated cheese ( optional)

What you do:

Heat the oil & butter together in a large saucepan, & gently soften the leeks for around 10 mins.
Add the potatoes, stir then add the stock.
simmer gently for 10 mins , or until the potatoes are cooked.
Add the broccoli & simmer for another 5 mins or until cooked.
Puree the soup until smooth. the divide into 4 bowls, then sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan.

What you need:

5 g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, Rinsed & finely chopped
1 onion peeled & finely chopped
3 potatoes (around 400g) peeled & diced
500ml semi skimmed milk
500ml fish or vegetable stock
2 dyed smoked haddock fillets (skin removed)
150g of frozen sweetcorn
1 handful of fresh parsley ( chopped)

What you do:

In a large saucepan, heat the butter & oil, then add the leek & onion & cook for 5 m ins.
Add the milk & stock, bring to the boil then simmer for around 5 mins.
add the haddock & sweetcorn & cook gently for 5 mins or until the fish is just cooked.
Add the parsley, season with freshly ground pepper & serve.
Serve with crusty bread.

What you need:

2 red peppers
2 red onions
8 ripe tomatoes ( halved)
3 cloves of garlic (unpeeled)
2 tbsp olive oil
500 – 700ml vegetable stock (depending how thick you like your soup)
Some fresh basil leaves (torn)

What you do:

Pre heat the oven to 200C / 400F / gas mark 6

Cut the peppers in half, scoop out the seeds & cut the flesh into small chunks.
Peel the onions , halve & cut into similar size chunks as the peppers.
Place the peppers, onions , tomatoes & garlic into an oven proof dish. Drizzle with oil then roast in the oven for around 35 mins ( or until all the vegetables are cooked).
Squeeze the garlic out of its skin. Put the vegetables & garlic into a food processor then add the stock.
Puree until smooth.
Pour into a saucepan & heat gently for around 5 mins or until warmed through.
divide between 4 bowls & sprinkle over fresh basil leaves .

Serve with warm crusty bread.