Minestrone Soup

A good soup for when the weather is just starting to get cold. Even better when reheated!

Ingredients:

• vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 leeks, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 potato, diced
• 1 can of beans (I used kidney because it was all I could find)
• 1/2 a cup of parsley, chopped
• 1 bag of spinach, chopped
• marinara sauce
• water or vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup of cooked pasta

Directions:

1) Heat 4 TBSP oil in a pot.
2) Add the onions and let sweat until they become soft (you may need to add more oil to prevent burning).







3) Add the leeks, carrot, potato, salt and pepper and cook for a few mores minutes, until they begin to soften.








4) Add the beans, parsley and spinach until the spinach wilts.








5) Add the stock or water (to cover), and add half as much marinara sauce.
6) Simmer until the vegetables are soft.
7) Add the Parmesan cheese and pasta and cook until the cheese has mostly dissolved and the pasta is warmed.

 So much soup...

Bean and Vegetable Chili

 National Chili Day! Plus, veggie chili is delicious, so why not make it all the time?

Ingredients:

• 3 TBSP olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 tsp, sugar
• 250 g/9 oz chestnut mushrooms, slices (I used button mushrooms and 300 g because that is what Tesco had)
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tsp mild chilli powder (I used hot because it's all I have
• 1 TBSP ground coriander
• 290-350 g jarred sweet red pepper sauce
• 300 ml (1/2 pint) vegetable stock
• 410 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (I used 400 g because that is what Tesco had)
• 410 g can black eye beans, drained and rinsed (I used kidney beans and 400 g because that is what Tesco had)
• Rice
• 1 cup of dry rice
• 2 cups of water

Directions:

1) Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan.









2) Fry the onions and sugar over a high heat, until deep golden.








3) Add the mushrooms, garlic, chilli powder and, ground coriander.
4) Fry for 2-3 minutes.







5) Stir in the pepper sauce, stock, chickpeas and beans.
6) Bring to a boil.







7) Begin making the rice by bringing 1 cup of rice to a boil with 2 cups of water.








8) Reduce the heat of the chili, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.








9) Once the water has disappeared from the rice, it is ready to be served with the chili.

Pasta & Bean Soup with Basil Oil

 

Working my way thought Veggie Feasts (and I'm not sure for how much longer since it got soaking wet today...) and still in the soup section--probably not for much longer either as Tesco is lacking in many of the ingredients. 

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 TBSP chopped rosemary
• 2 x 400 g (13oz) cans chopped tomatoes
• 600ml (1 pt) vegetable stock
• 400g (13oz) can borlotti beans, drained (I used Cannellini Beans due to Tescos lack of ingredients)
• 125g (4oz) dried small pasta shapes
• salt and black pepper
• grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
• 25g (1oz) basil leaves
• 150ml (1/4 pint) extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1) Heat the oil (2 TBSP) in a saucepan.

2) Add the onion, garlic and rosemary and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes until the onion is softened.







3) Stir in the tomatoes, stock, beans and salt and pepper.









4) Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.








5) Add the pasta and simmer, covered, for a further 10 minutes until the pasta is al dante.
6) Boil water in a sauce pan.






7) Add the basil leaves and boil for 30 seconds.
8) Drain the basil leaves.
9) Refresh the basil leaves under cold water.
10) Dry the basil leaves.






11) Transfer the oil and basil to a blender and blend until really smooth (I don't have a nice blender, so I cut the basil very fine and stirred it together).
12) Ladle the soup into bowls and add the basil oil and Parmesan cheese.

Still don't know if I'll be taking the book with me on Christmas break, but if not I'll be back with it in January.

Chili Bean Soup (and Homemade Tortilla Chips)

 

Here you go Felix F.

I'm on the soup part of the book, and really excited about it!

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 400 g (13 oz) can red kidney beans, drained
• 400 g (13 oz) can chopped tomatoes
• 600ml (1 pt) vegetable stock
• 12 tortilla chips (homemade recipe below)
• 50g (2 oz) cheddar cheese, grated
• salt and black pepper
• soured cream, to serve

Directions:
1) Heat the oil in a saucepan

2) Add onion, garlic, chilli powder, coriander and cumin and cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes until the onion is softened.








 3) Add the beans, tomatoes and stock and season with salt and pepper.







4) Bring to a boil








5) Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes
6) Transfer to a food processor or blender and process until fairly smooth. Or use a blender in the pot. Or leave it and have chunky soup!
7)Pour into flameproof bowls.





8) Scatter the tortilla chips on top of the soup and sprinkle over the cheddar cheese.






9) Cook under a preheated hot grill for 1-2 minutes until the cheese has melted.








10) Serve with soured cream.













For the chips:

1) Preheat the oven to 350F/176C
2) Put foil down on an oven tray.
3) Spray with oil.
4) Put tortilla wraps down.
5) Spray with oil again.
6) Add seasoning
7) Place in the oven and cook for 2 minutes (check often, just in case!)

8) Flip them over. Re-season if you like
9) Cook for another 2 minutes (check often, just in case!)

10) Remove from the oven and break apart