From the discussion with Renee Krosch on ABC Sydney this evening – Spiced Pumpkin Soup, Minestrone, Pea and Ham, Swiss Chicken Soup, Short Soup and old fashioned Scotch Broth.

As always, if there are any questions regarding the recipes, let me know.

Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Serves 6

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

900g pumpkin flesh (i.e. peeled and deseeded), cut into 2cm cubes

3 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons grated green ginger

1 rounded teaspoon ground cumin

1 rounded teaspoon ground coriander

1½ teaspoons curry powder

650ml chicken or vegetable stock

400ml coconut milk

1 tablespoon tomato sauce (ketchup)

Juice ½ lime

½ to 1 teaspoon salt, optional

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion and pumpkin.  Stir to coat, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes (lid on), stirring often.

Add the garlic, ginger and spices and stir to combine well.  Cook one minute, then add the stock , coconut milk and tomato sauce.

Bring to the boil, stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer until the pumpkin is very soft.  Puree.  Return to heat and stir in the lime juice.

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Minestrone

This robust soup has always been a family favorite.  I’ve also included a recipe for garlic bread.  I know, I know, it’s not altogether good for you from the waistline perspective, but my goodness it’s delicious and I rarely serve this soup without it, each time vowing to diet another day.

Serves 4 to 6

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 tablespoons diced bacon

1 onion, peeled and chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 small potato, peeled and diced

1 red capsicum, seeds removed and diced

125g green beans, cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons tomato paste

½ teaspoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon dried thyme, chopped

500g diced tomatoes – tinned or fresh

900ml chicken or vegetable stock or water, with 2 teaspoons chicken or vegetable stock powder added

2 cups cooked small macaroni or other short pasta

½ to ¾ cup grated or shaved parmesan

2 tablespoons chopped parsley or shredded basil, optional

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté the bacon and onion for 4 minutes.

Add the garlic and the rest of the vegetables and cook gently for 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste, sugar , thyme, tomatoes and stock.

Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta, mix through and reheat.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve each bowlful topped with shaved parmesan and herbs, if using.

Garlic Bread

125g butter, softened

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 French bread stick

Heat oven to 180 degrees C.  Have ready a baking tray.

Crush the garlic and mix through the butter with the parsley.

Cut the bread into 2.5cm slices. Spread both sides with the garlic butter, and rejoin.

Wrap in foil and bake  for 15 minutes.

After ten minutes, loosen the foil so that the bread will crisp on its crust.

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Pea and Ham Soup

You can use the more economical bacon bones in this recipe instead of a ham hock.  However, I always find bits of bone in my bowl of soup, despite all possible effort to remove them, which I very much dislike.

Serves 6

250g dried green split peas

1.75 litres water

1 teaspoon salt

1 ham hock (approximately 500g)

2 large onions, diced

60g swede (peeled weight), diced

2 carrots, diced

1 parsnip, diced

1 stick celery, diced

Wash the peas then place all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to very low so that the soup barely simmers and cook for 2 hours or until the peas form a puree (stir often while cooking so that the soup does not catch).

Remove the ham hock from the soup and shred the meat, discarding the bone and any fat or gristle.  Return the shredded meat to the saucepan.

Variation

Vegetarian Version – Pea Soup with mint

This soup has been popular in one form or another since colonial times.  For travellers back then, dried mint was generally used in place of fresh, though the result is not nearly so tasty.  Dried mint, I always think, can have the potential to make a dish taste a little like toothpaste.

Serves 4 to 6

250g dried green split peas

1 large onion, finely diced

1.5 litres water or vegetable stock

one bunch green mint

1 teaspoon salt, approximately

Wash the peas and place in a large saucepan with the water.  Place half the bunch of mint in the pot.

Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to very low and simmer for 2 hours, stirring often.  Puree the mixture until very smooth.  Add chopped fresh mint to taste and leave to stand 10 minutes before serving.

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Swiss Chicken Soup

Serves 4

3 teaspoons olive oil

250g to 300g skinless chicken breast, finely diced

90g ham or lean bacon, finely diced

2 medium onions, finely diced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1.5 litres chicken stock or water with 1 teaspoon stock powder

410g tin creamed corn

4 teaspoons cornflour mixed to a paste with 1½  tablespoons cold water

1 cup grated tasty cheese

½ cup cream

4 egg yolks

Method

Heat the oil over medium-high heat and then sauté the chicken until it changes colour.  Add the ham or bacon and onions and cook for 3 minutes more.  Add the Dijon, stock and corn and bring to the boil, stirring, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir in the cornflour paste, bring to the boil, stirring constantly, then stir in the cheese until melted.  Remove from the heat.

Whisk together the cream and egg yolks and mix into the soup.  Reheat the soup over low heat but do not allow to boil.  Add salt and (white) pepper to taste.

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Short Soup

 If there is too much filling mixture for the wontons, roll it into tiny meatballs and cook along with the wontons.

This recipe only calls for 20 wonton wrappers.  If the packet you purchase has more than this (mine had 40), simply wrap the remainder tightly in cling wrap and freeze for later use.

Serves 4

For the wontons

250g pork mince

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

2 spring onions, white part only, very finely diced

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons sweet chilli sauce

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon finely grated fresh green ginger

20 wonton wrappers

1 egg, lightly beaten

For the soup

1 litre chicken stock

2 spring onions, finely sliced

2 spring onion tops (green part of spring onion), finely sliced

2 teaspoons soy sauce

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon chicken or vegetable stock powder, optional

Mix together the pork, sesame oil, spring onion, sauces, salt and ginger until thoroughly combined.  Place the wonton wrappers side by side on a board or bench top.  Brush around the edges with the egg.  Place a teaspoon of the mixture just below the middle of each and fold over the form a triangle sealing edges well.  Place a small dot of egg on each corner and fold in to form a little parcel.

Heat 2 litres of water in a large pot and add ½ teaspoon salt.  When boiling strongly add the wontons and boil for 3 to 4 minutes or until the wontons rise to the top.

Meanwhile bring all the soup ingredients to the boil and simmer 2 minutes.

To serve, place five wontons in each bowl and ladle the hot soup over.

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Scotch Broth

This has always been a favourite of Robert’s in particular, reminiscent of the soup his mother used to make.  She grated the carrots and swede and used dried soup mix instead of the barley. I’ve added a couple of extra vegetables so that the soup has more body to it.

I find this soup is best cooked the day before, then chilled overnight.  Any fat will rise to the top and can be skimmed off easily; otherwise I find this soup is a bit too oily. Alternatively, you can substitute wallaby shanks for the lamb, as these are much leaner.

Serves 6

1 large or 2 smaller lamb shanks

¼ cup pearl barley or dry soup mix

2 onions, diced

2 carrots, diced or finely grated

60g swede or turnip, peeled weight, diced or finely grated

1 parsnip, diced

1 stick celery, diced

8 cups water or stock

1 teaspoon salt, approximately

Trim visible fat from the shanks and place in a large pot, together with the rest of the ingredients.

Bring to the boil stirring, and then reduce heat and cook for two to three hours or until the meat is very tender.  Remove the shank and shred or dice the meat, discarding any gristle, bone and fat.  Return the meat to the saucepan.

Add salt and pepper to taste.