Curried Parsnip Soup

It has been really freezing here all day, woke to find the water pipes frozen, so took until 12.30 to defrost. I was wondering if I was going to get the soup pot on or not today.

Took the fork to the garden at 2.30, it was hard to get it in the soil as it was still frozen, but managed to dig up 2 wonderful parsnips.

Curried Parsnip Soup
1oz butter
1 Red onion
2 parsnips
1 medium potato
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp plain flour
1 pt chicken stock
1 pt water
2 tbsp double cream
salt & pepper

saute the chopped onion, parsnip, potato and garlic in a large pan for approximately 10 mins, add curry powder and flour, fry gently to release the spices. Add the stock and water and then simmer until all veg is soft. Whizz with a hand blender until smooth. Add the double cream and then season to taste. Serve with a swirl of cream (optional).

Read More

Watercress soup

Oh dear, you know when you do something and then make a rod for your own back. Homemade soup yesterday went down so well, that I got another request today. It's just as well that soup is so easy to make, chuck it in, simmer, whizz it with a hand blender and you have soup.

Watercress soup
2 tblsp olive oil
1 large onion
2 large potatoes
1 pint chicken stock
1 bag of watercress, washed
double cream
salt & pepper

Chop the onion, saute in a pan until soft. Add the chopped potato, cover with chicken stock, add the watercress, bring to boil and then simmer until the vegetables are soft. Whizz soup with hand blender until smooth, season to taste and thin with water if required. Add a couple of tablespoons of double cream and stir. Serve and add a swirl of double cream if desired.

Read More

Lentil soup

Oh well, a little soup for the soul - so as I'm feeling really poorly, decided I'd pop on some soup for my lunch and daughter's afterschool snack. It's freezing today, so soup will certainly warm her up before her singing lesson.

Lentil Soup
2 tblsp olive oil
1 large onion
4 carrots
1 stalk celery
4 oz red lentils
1 pint chicken stock
1 pint water
2 tblsp tomato puree
salt & pepper

Chop the onion, celery and carrots into small dice. Sweat them off in the pan in the olive oil until the onions are soft, then add the lentils, fry off for about 30 secs. Add the stock, water and tomato paste, simmer until all veg are tender and the lentils are cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. Whizz using a hand blender until smooth. Add water if needed to get the right consistency.
Serve

Read More

New Year 2009

Wow a whole year has passed and I haven't written to my blog. I'm still obsessive about organic food, have now dropped the riverford box as I'm growing loads of my own veg and now buy fresh meat and any spare veg from Ferndene farm shop. My weight has dropped off since I have been eating meat that isn't fed on feed laced with steroids, wonder if the steriods keep us fatted up.

Must get more veg in the garden this year, will be popping veg in amongst the flowers this year too and building raised beds too. Want a bed that is 3 feet high so mum can pick veg without help.

All seeds bought at the end of last year in loads of sales, so must now have about 100 packs of seeds to plant. Loads in the greenhouse ready to go in already. Have been making my own pots too out of newspaper using my paper potter.

Read More