Courgette and Dolcelatte Soup

29 01 2012

January means two things – the start of a healthy eating phase, and a trip up the M1 to take my daughter and her seemingly endless supply of washed and ironed clothes back up to Leeds for another term at University. After three hours of driving, carrying several heavy bags up three flights of stairs, and cleaning the kitchen of a student flat (yuk!), it was time for a well desrived lunch. We decided to try Salvo’s Deli in Headingley for a spot of lunch. This is based on the fabulous soup of the day that day. it’s kind of healthy, maybe more so with a little less cheese.

Serves 3 – 4 people

2 tablespoons olive oil
Small knob of butter
1 onion – chopped
1 clove garlic – finely chopped
4-5 courgettes – cut into rough chunks
2 teaspoons pesto
100g creamy blue cheese – gorgonzola or dolcelatte work well
Vegetable stock
Salt and pepper

Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan. When the butter has melted add the onion and fry gently until soft and translucent. Now add the garlic and continue to fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the courgettes, stir, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes until the courgettes are soft. Now add the pesto and just enough stock to come to the top of the vegetables. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until everthing is very tender. Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Blend the osup until smooth. I use a stick blender but you could transfer everything to a food processor, blend and put back in the pan – it all depends on how much you like washing up.

Heat gently and season to taste.


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Categories : soup

Pumpkin and Rice Soup with Za’atar Croutons

15 01 2012

From Sally Butcher’s fabulous guide to Middle Eastern meat free cooking – Veggiestan – this soup is a delight. Perfect for keeping those January frosts at bay.

This makes enough soup to feed four or five.

1 medium pumpkin or butternut squash – peeled, deseeded and diced
oil for frying – I used raw coconut oil
2 oinions – peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic – finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 red chili – chopped – deseed it if you don’t like the fire
175g pudding rice
1 litre vegetable stock
2-3 slices stale bread
1 tablespoon za’atar
3-4 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large pan then add the onion and fry until soft (about 5 minutes) then add the garlic, chili and spices, fry for a further 2 minutes then add the pumpkin or butternut. Add the stock and bring to the boil. When boiing add half the rice, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for half an hour.

While the soup is simmering, cook the rest of the rice in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain and set to one side.

When the soup is done and the pumpkin cooked through, remove from the heat and blend. Add the drained rice and return to the heat to keep warm.

Take a large frying pan, add some more oil then fry the diced stale bread. When the bread starts to colour add the pumpkin seeds and za’atar. Fry for a further minute or two stirring all the time.

Serve the soup with hot croutons.


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Categories : soup

Quick and Easy Chana Dal

8 01 2012

Well, when I say quick I mean it’s quick once you have done the prep. You can eat this as a side dish or almost like a soup with some warm nan bread.

2 large handfuls of chana dal (or yellow split peas)
2-3 cloves garlic – finely sliced
2 tomatoes – diced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder – vary the amount depending on how hot it is and how hot you like it
1 teaspoon salt
Large bunch fresh coriander – chopped

Soak the chana dal in cold water for a few hours – this is not essential but it reduces the cooking time a little.

Rinse the dal then cover with water, add a teaspoon of ground turmeric and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for half an hour or so until the dal is soft and soupy. If too wet, take the lid off and let some of the water evaporate off while cooking. If dry, add more water, a little at a time.

When the dal is done, heat a little oil in a small frying pan. When hot add the garlic and chili powder and fry until just starting to brown. Now add the tomatoes and salt. Fry until the tomatoes start to break up then tip the contents of the frying pan into the dal. Add the chopped coriander, stir well and serve hot.


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Categories : General, soup

Buttery Pilaf with Purple Sprouting

2 01 2012

Based on Simon Hopkinson’s recipe. As he says in his book, one of my favourite dishes from the book (The Vegetarian Option).

This dish is made in three stages, but in spite of this it still quite simple.

Start with the green paste

bunch Coriander
bunch Mint
2-3 green chilis
2-3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
juice of 1 lime

Roughly chop all the solid ingredients and place in a blender/food processor with all the other ingredients. If the mixture is a little dry add some olive oil. Once blended into a paste, put to one side.

Now cook the purple sprouting

Take a few stems of purple sprouting and simmer in boiling water for about 10 minutes until tender. Drain and put to another side.

For the main dish

60g butter
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
400g basmati rice
2 medium onions – finely chopped
400ml vegetable stock
1x400g can of coconut milk
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of the green paste above
3 spring onions finely sliced
zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 180C.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large saucepan. When hot and melted add the onion and fry until soft and staring to brown. Now add the rice nd stir to coat the rice with the butter and oil. Now add the stock, coconut milk and lemon zest. Bring to boil then remove from heat, cover and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Take out of the oven, add the green paste, salt, pepper, finely sliced spring onion and cooked purple sprouting, stir well and put the lid back on. Leave for about 10 minutes then serve.


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