During winter months, soups are not only an easy choice to warm you up from the inside but also comes with other benefits:

  • can be frozen in individual portions,
  • easy way to include vegetables
  • effortless, easy and convenient.

This month we have three interesting, creative and tasty recipes to try.

Winter Chicken Soup

Servings: 6

Preparation Time: 20 mins

Cooking Time: 1hr 20mins

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 leek, rinsed and finely chopped
  • 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
  • 5 slices fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (or to taste)
  • 1 star anise
  • 6 free-range chicken thighs, skinless and on the bone
  • 2 litres good-quality chicken stock
    • Can be substituted with 2 stock cubes and 2 litres of water
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into small chunks
  • 150g pearl barley
  • 2 handfuls of frozen peas
  • thyme and parsley, to garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion, carrot, leek and celery and fry over a low heat until softened but not coloured.
  2. Add the ginger, chilli and star anise; cook for a few minutes.
  3. Season the chicken and add to the stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, turn down the heat, cover and simmer gently for an hour, skimming any fat off the surface with a spoon.
  4. Add the potato and pearl barley 25 minutes before the end of cooking and continue to cook, covered, for the remaining time.
  5. Add the peas and cook for another 3 minutes. Season, garnish and serve hot.

This will keep in the fridge for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Warming Thai Salmon Broth Recipe

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
  • 250g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 red peppers, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce
    • can be substituted with Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
  • juice 1 lemon
  • 400ml can coconut milk
  • 400ml fish stock
  • 4 salmon fillets
  • 200g egg noodles
  • fresh coriander, sliced spring onions, chopped red chilli, toasted peanuts and lemon wedges, to serve.

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Cook the curry paste, stirring, for 2 minutes.
  2. Add the mushrooms and peppers and cook for a few more minutes. Add the fish sauce, lemon juice, coconut milk and stock, bring to a simmer and add the salmon.
  3. Place a lid on the pan, and simmer very gently for about 10 minutes, until the fish is just cooked.
  4. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the pack instructions, drain and divide between 4 bowls.
  5. Remove the salmon from the soup and flake. Check the soup for seasoning, divide between the bowls and top with the fish, coriander, spring onions, chilli and peanuts.
  6. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Spicy Vegetable Soup

Servings: 6

Preparation Time: 20 Minutes

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 sticks celery, diced
  • 2 parsnips peeled and diced
    • Can be substituted with carrots
  • 150g swede (yellow turnip), peeled and diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 75g dried apricots
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon Sumac
    • Can be substituted with lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add all the remaining diced vegetables and cook over a low heat for another 5 minutes until lightly browned.
  3. Add the apricots and spices and fry for 1 minute then pour on the vegetable stock and bring up to the boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
  4. Purée the mixture in a blender until finely chopped and a nice thick consistency, then season to taste and stir in the lemon juice and herbs just before serving.