5 yummy soups to make at home

Barbeque Nation may be famous for its generous grilled first course, but you’re missing something if you skip the soup. Ask for some the next time you visit or recreate these hits at home.

Cream Of Mushroom Soup
COOKING TIME 35 mins
SERVES 8

600 g mushrooms
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 sticks celery, sliced
3 flakes garlic, sliced
a few sprigs fresh parsley leaves, chopped a few sprigs fresh thyme
1 litre vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste
50 ml cooking cream

Method:
1. Peel off any tough outer skins of the mushroom caps, slice finely and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, some parsley leaves, thyme and mushrooms. Cook for four minutes.

2. Spoon a few mushrooms out of the pan and set aside. Add the stock in the pan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then whiz with a hand-blender until smooth. Add cream and bring to a boil.

3. Drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with the remaining parsley and mushrooms. Serve hot.

Gazpacho Soup
COOKING TIME 10 mins
RFRIGERATION TIME Overnight
SERVES 4

4 medium tomatoes, peeled, chopped
1 small cucumber, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups canned tomato juice
2 tbsp fresh mixed herbs (tarragon, thyme, parsley), chopped
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 flakes garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt, to taste
Tabasco sauce, as required basil leaves, for garnish

Method:
1. In a bowl, reserve two tablespoons each of the tomato, cucumber, pepper and onion, for garnishing.

2. In a food processor, blend to purée the remaining ingredients until smooth, adjusting the seasoning to taste with lemon juice, salt and Tabasco sauce.

3. Cover and refrigerate it overnight. Adjust the consistency with water. Serve chilled, garnished with the reserved vegetables and basil leaves.

Pumpkin & SweetPotato Soup
COOKING TIME 10 mins
SERVES 8

30 ml olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp grated ginger
500 g red pumpkin, coarselychopped
250 g sweet potato, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp cumin powder
5 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup chopped coriander leaves
1 long fresh red chilli, finelychopped
2 tbsp grated coconut
2 pieces Lebanese bread

Method:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add half the ginger and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin, sweet potato and half the cumin and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.

2. Increase heat to high, add the vegetable stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer and cook until the pumpkin and sweet potato are very tender. Set aside to cool slightly. Blend in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
 
3. Combine the coriander, chilli, coconut and remaining ginger in a small bowl.

4. Top with the coconut mixture. And serve it with bread.

Hot VegBroth
COOKING TIME 45 mins
SERVES 6

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 flakes garlic
2 onions, chopped
2 sprigs leek, chopped
2 sprigs celery, chopped
2 turnips, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 sprigs fennel leaves
1 bunch parsley stems, chopped
5 green chillies, slit
5 large cups water

Method:
1. Heat oil in a sauce pan and fry the garlic for two minutes.

2. Add chopped onions. Fry till light brown. Then add the remaining vegetables and water, and bring it to a boil.

3. Simmer for 30 minutess. Strain and serve.

Broccoli Stew

COOKING TIME 25 mins
SERVES 8

4 tbsp oil paste.
2 onions, finely chopped
1 red chilli, chopped
2 green chillies chopped
1tbsp ginger galic pase
½ kg broccoli flowerets
2 tomatoes chopped
2 tomatoes diced coconut milk 1st and 2nd extract from I coconut
Salt and pepper to taste,small bunch of coriander juice of 1 lemon

Method:
1. In a deep pan take some oil add chopped onions red chilli,green chillies and ginger garlic paste,fry until soft and golden.

2. Add broccoli and try for three inute then add tomatoes and potatoes and fry well add second extrac of coconut milk.

3. Season the broccoli with salt and pepper and add enough water .cover and simmer for five minutes.

4. Add first extract of coconut milk coruiander and lemon juice .cook for another 3 minutes.serve hot with either dosa,roti,rice or as it is.