Soup!

I eat loads of soup - mainly vegetable based as I am quite fussy about "meat" things.  When I ate such things, i refrained from meaty pasta sauces or pizza toppings - except bolognaise strangely.  Also strangely, I would only eat oxtail soup as a child but wouldn't eat any meaty soup now - not sure why, I just don't.  THe only meat based soup i use is cream of chicken sometimes - in a recipe, particularly the chicken pie recipe posted previously.

Anyhow, I digress.  I make loads of soup - mostly it is "anything in the fridge or pantry that needs using up soup", sometimes carrot and coriander or Leek and potato.  V really loves broccoli soup and is hoping it will see her good at university.  I have even bought her a stick blender so she can make it.

So here is V's Broccoli soup.

2lb broccoli (stalks and florets)
1 onion
1 medium potato
chicken or vegetable stock - erm about 2 litres?
4 oz cheddar (or stilton)

Chop onion, potato and broccoli stalk and fry in a little butter, olive oil or coconut oil for a few minutes till soft.
Add the broccoli florets (separated) and sweat off (i.e cover the pan) for a few more minutes.
Add the stock and bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, remove from heat

Blend with a stick blender and season to taste
Add the grated cheddar and stir until melted.

You might want to fiddle about with amount of stock (i.e. whether you want a thicker or thinner soup - V likes it very thick - ooh err :), but i tend to have a thinner one) and the amount of cheese.  Restrict the amounts of each at first and then add more if necessary.

Sorry, seem to have not taken a photo of the finished thing - anyway, it's green! :)

The "use up anything in the fridge" soup is just that, so no real recipe

Generally i will chop an onion or two, add a clove of garlic and maybe some celery, if I have it.  Then add whatever - carrot, potato, pepper, courgette, sweet potato, runner beans, parsnip, swede, leek - etc etc.  Put it all in a pan and add some stock.  If i have roasted a chicken, I may have some chicken stock - possibly from the freezer.  or i will use a cube or some bouillon (I have just changed from using the stuff with MSG to the stuff without as i am highly sensitive to MSG and nowadays even the tiniest amount sets off palpitations and either sends me to sleep, or stops me sleeping - shocking but true).  Boil this lot up and either eat as it is or blend smooth.  I tend to chop the veg small and leave the soup chunky, I seem to be more fulfilled that way.  I flavour it with herbs, or the end of the tomato ketchup bottle (just put water in, shake it and tip in the pan - nothing goes to waste here!), or anything else I have to hand - the other day's soup had some chilli sauce in).  The one below is bright yellow because i have added turmeric, having learned of it's anti-inflammatory properties.

As you see - I had my posh bowls out!  (the dishwasher hadn't finished when it was time for tea!)