From Tuesday’s night’s discussion with Emma, ABC Sydney, Evenings. Within the Minestrone recipe you will find instructions on how to make ever-popular garlic bread.

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.