Soups
Pumpkin and Coconut Soup
You can't avoid pumpkin soup when you live in Australia. Its one of those dishes that
seems to be everyones favourite dish to to serve when entertaining. For my husband this
is a curse but I can get him to eat this version which he seems to actually enjoy. Pumpkins
are available in Australia all year round but if out of season where you live you can
use butternut squash which funny enough is known as butternut pumpkin in
Australia.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Cream of Wild Mushroom with Truffle Shavings
A simple but a decadent starter to begin a meal. Once in a while it's worthwhile lashing out on a meal and buying the best selection of wild mushrooms and fresh black truffle (while jarred truffles make an adequate substitue to fresh they lack flavour). You only need a few shavings of truffle as the flavour can be overpowering.
6 Portions
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20-30 minutes
Chilli Seafood in a Spicy Carrot and Coriander Soup
I love carrot and coriander soup, it is so popular in my household that even my baby
girl likes it (of course her's isn't spicy). Accompanying the soup with the chilli seafood
makes this dish exceptionally enjoyable.
6 Portions
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Winter Squash Curry Soup
Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes are available in abundance in October and November.
Many of what I have been brought up in Australia to know as some variety of pumpkin are
called squash of some sort. Never the less most varieties will work well in this simple
but delicious soup, that makes a warming meal on those cold Autumn evenings. Why not
serve this soup in a large pumpkin shell for a large party on Halloween.
6 Portions
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Spicy Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Scallops and Prawns
The mixture of scallops and prawns with the Spicy Coconut Soup base is a lovely combination. Also, the spiciness gives the soup a real bite.
4 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Anything Seafood Stew
A good seafood stew is made of the freshest fish and shellfish
available. It does not need to be laboured over for hours and
delicately presented, but better cooked with little fuss letting
the flavours do all the work. It does help if you start with a
really good fish stock. A good fish stock only takes 20 minutes to
make, use the fish bones from the fish purchased or ask your
fishmonger for some bones (he might charge you a small price for
this). Vary the seafood mixture according to what is best available
and of course your own taste, add the quicker cooking seafood
to the stew last.
6 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Leek Soup
To me, Leek Soup is an enjoyable meal on cold nights. Served with some warmed bread there is nothing as nice.
4 to 6 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35-45 minutes
Lobster Bisque
Bisque is a famous rich shellfish soup. If you don't like or have lobster, fresh crab
or prawns also make a great bisque. You will need live lobsters for this dish. When
buying your lobster make sure that your lobster has all its legs and claws and is
lively.
6 Portions
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Asparagus Soup with Scallops
Asparagus is ideal for an early summer soup their woody stalks make an ideal base
stock and the stems make a full flavoured soup while the tips can be used for
garnishing. The richness of scallops complements this creamy soup.
6 Portions
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Groundnut Soup
This soup is as common as pepperpot soup in Africa and comes in many variations. In
this recipe I use yam but potato or white sweet potato work just as well. I garnish the
soup with tiger prawn and strips or deep fried plantains, these are optional and
obviously it you are a vegetarian the prawns are definitely out. Corn muffins, spicy
pita bread or deep fried African bread make a great accompaniment.
6 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30-40 minutes
Cock-a-Leekie
This has to be one of the most famous Scottish dishes. This soups main ingredients are
obviously chicken and leek. This dish traditionally is a meal in one with the soup being
eaten first followed by the meat. Cock-a- leekie should have veal or stewing beef in it
but in this recipe I have chosen to keep it out for a simpler modern version of the
soup.
4-6 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Provençal Seafood Soup
This soup is simply a mixture of the best seasonal seafood prepared in one dish.You will need two varieties of firm fish such as halibut, monkfish, hake and swordfish. A Good selection of seafood including squid rings, prawns, clams, and or mussels or a mixture of seafood that is at its best when you prepare the dish.
6 Portions
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Vichyssoise
Vichyssoise is a simple soup prepared from potatoes and leek, and served cold.
This is a great starter to a picnic or any summer entertaining, it is easily
jazzed up with a few simple additions (see these at the end of the recipe).
For ease you can prepare it well in advance and freeze it and simply defrost
on the day. I serve the soup with freshly baked herb and rocket focaccia but
you can make or buy your favourite bread if you wish.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40-60 minutes
Easy Wonton Soup
Wonton soup are easy to make and is very tasty. If you are like my husband, you can add some chili oil to spice the soup up a bit.
4-6 Portions
Prep: 15-20 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Simple Seafood Stew
This is a really easy but delicious and comforting meal. It can be made with many
combinations of seafood, see what your fishmonger has to offer.
2 Portions
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 - 20 minutes
Miso Soup
Anyone who eats Japanese food regularly will most probably be familiar with miso soup.
Miso soup is consumed for breakfast and is also often part of lunch and dinner
accompanied with rice and pickles. Miso soup has a cloudy texture and is mildly aromatic
and accompanies most simple Japanese meals.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes (plus time for preparing dashi 20 minutes or use instant
dashi)
Pea and Ham Soup
This soup brings back many memories of what I thought were cold winter nights in Australia. This soup makes a warming and satisfying meal on a really cold winters night when all you want to do is cuddle up on the sofa with a really good book.
6 Portions:
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Curried Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Soup
Sweet potato and cauliflower may seem like an unusual combination but the two vegetables
complement each other resulting in a smoothy and creamy soup. You can vary the spiciness
of the soup by adding more or less chili and spices. I prepared this soup for my daughter
by simply eliminating the chili and a little of the coriander.
4 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Corn and Clam Chowder
This soup is delicious and simple to cook. It makes a great starter when entertaining as you can prepare it in advance simply leaving the final addition of the corn and clams when ready to serve.
4 Portions
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15-20 minutes
Waterzooi de Lotte et Moules (Monkfish and Mussel Waterzooi)
Waterzooi is a traditional Flemish soup come stew which was originally prepared with freshwater fish and vegetables but the best known version is with chicken. Waterzooi also works well with a variety of seafood or with rabbit.
4 Portions as a Main or 6 as a starter
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Autumn Minestrone
There are many variations on minestrone soup from different regions in Italy. What goes into the soup also depends on the season with vegetables such as broad beans in the summer and pumpkin in Autumn. It is easy to vary the ingredients to what is best when you prepare the soup, just add the quick cooking vegetables near the end of the cooking. This a hardy dish and makes a great meal on a cold night.
6-8 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 50-60 minutes
Shellfish Laksa
Laksa is a Malaysian soup made with noodles and coconut milk, it is filling and delicous. You can vary the ingredients in the soup to your own taste eg. adding bok choy or usining chicken instead or with seafood.
4 Portions as a main or 6 as a starter
Cook: 15 minutes
Celeriac, Apple and Stilton Soup
This is a warming soup with well balanced flavours as the apple softens the sharpness
of the Stilton.
4 -6 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35-45 minutes
Vegetable Tempura with Noodles and Broth
If you like Japanese food, but have thought it is too hard to prepare, then this recipe will show how easy it is to make. It is very easy to prepare and cook this dish.
6 Portions
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Seafood Stew
This stew is simply a mixture of the best seasonal seafood prepared in one dish.
6 Portions
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Cream of Wild Mushroom with Truffle Shavings
A simple but a decadent starter to begin a meal. As Christmas is only once a year it's worthwhile lashing out and buying the best selection of wild mushrooms and fresh black truffle (while jarred truffles make an adequate substitue to fresh they lack flavour). You only need a few shavings of truffle to conclude this dish as the flavour can be overpowering.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20-30 minutes
Jerusalem Artichoke, Apple and Stilton Soup
This is a deliciously warming soup with well balanced flavours. Sweet apple softens
the sharpness of the Stilton.
4 -6 Portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35-45 minutes
Cauliflower Soup with Rarebit Croutons
Cauliflower makes a smooth and velvety soup which makes a tasty starter or light meal. Rarebit croutons create a sharp contrast and soak up the delicious soup.
6 portions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 60 minutes