soup maker recipes

Potherbs are herbs, Blossoming (largely green) Soffrito is orange, grreen and white - finely chopped onion, carrot and celery, which are fried gently until they become a tasty mush that can be the base for a casserole or sauce. Tesco calls theirs "Chef's base" which describes it better to Brits than its Italian name.

To make it from scratch, recipe at www.greatbritishchefs.com/how-to-cook/how-to-make-soffritto but the preprepared bags are convenient.

My best present ever was my soup maker. I made soup for decades in a saucepan, chopping the veg, watching the saucepan, constant stirring. And the washing up!
Once I was given a soup maker, these were things of the past.
I don't use meat or fish, and add cheese before serving.
I just throw any veg I have in, always preferring to make it thicker with potato or cauliflower.

Soffrito sounds like pot herbs to me

Had a load of chestnut mushrooms to use up. Mr. B doesn’t like mushrooms so I decided to make some soup. One white onion, chopped. Around 250g chestnut mushrooms, chopped. 1.5 litres of water. A couple of garlic cloves. A hearty sprinkle of paprika. A vegetable stock cube. Used the ‘smooth’ program, 21 minutes. It’s absolutely delicious, will have some for tea tonight and there’s enough for a couple more meals.

I haven’t used my soup maker much, but realised today how simple it is! I’m not very good at following complicated recipes, I’m more a ‘chuck in the leftovers and fridge contents’ cook! I’m definitely going to try pea and ham, it’s a favourite of Mr. B and I.

My favourites:

Carrot & Coriander
Butternut squash with coconut milk & Coriander
Apple & Parsnip
Mushroom - made with a roux & turmeric

Don't be afraid to add a little salt to home-made soups - it will still be less than shop bought.

I love my soup maker - 5/6 vegetables, either fresh or frozen - I make a smooth version, and add a few chilli flakes, and 250ml carton of coconut milk - to a litre of soup. Makes a lot of difference- I’ve added this as a sauce to pasta, or rice, chicken or fish - my grandchildren don’t realise that they are eating 5/6 vegetables - just that Nanny cooks lovely, tasty food

Thank you for your info and research, gransnetters! Appreciated

Roasted med veg , tin of toms, oregano, water and veg stock cube.Delicious.

Elegran

Aveline

The M&S sofrito is fresh not frozen!

So is the Tesco one, but you can freeze it, though it may freeze together in lumps in the bag, so you won't be able to use half and leave the other half in the freezer until next time.

you can buy frozen soffrito from M&S just to add to the confusion

I have looked for articles about smoothies and fibre, and found these two. The first asks whether "blending fruits and veggies—as you would when making a smoothie— lowers their fiber content and may impact other nutrients in these nutritious foods as well" the second whether in a powerful blender "nutrients are released that might not otherwise be"

shapedbycharlotte.com/does-blending-destroy-nutrients/

skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/26559/does-blending-food-to-break-down-the-cell-walls-make-it-healthier

I'm not keen on the texture of raw or cooked celery but I do like the taste, so I used to use celery salt for flavour. I've found that the M&S Sofritto from Ocado seems to break down more in casseroles and soups. I wonder if they only do frozen Sofritto online and fresh in store?

Aveline

The M&S sofrito is fresh not frozen!

So is the Tesco one, but you can freeze it, though it may freeze together in lumps in the bag, so you won't be able to use half and leave the other half in the freezer until next time.

Cs783 , I've also read that about fibre and broken-down cell walls somewhere, but I don't worry about it because I eat loads of other fruit and veg apart from soup. Even if soup and smoothies is all you eat, I reckon any veg is better than no veg.

JBones - warburton thins are small square breadcake type things, think they're 100 cal per thin. They're £1 for 6 from Tosco but you can get them much cheaper in L1dl. I have one each day for lunch - ham and cheese quite often and put in sandwich toaster - just the right size - or today I had beef, onion and horseradish blasted in microwave with my left over veg soup from yesterday - DELISH. Bought some powdered milk today so going to try the cauliflower soup tomorrow - you lovely Grans have inspired me to keep going

The M&S sofrito is fresh not frozen!

Interesting tips and hints. Mmm excuse to buy Stilton (for cauli soup). Must check out M&S for frozen soffrito though no M&S nearby. I’ve not found frozen celery; has anyone tried freezing it themselves?

Yes I do rely on frozen veg at times. Defrosted courgettes, peas, plus potato and usual stock cube, are a winter staple here. Ooh Stilton with that too ?

I believe blended veg soups are good nutrition but has anyone else been told they’re not good fibre because cell walls are already broken down?

Tomato & Red Pepper

1 x onion
2/3 red peppers
can tomatoes
half stock cube dissolved
fill up with water to the necessary level

This soup is lovely!

Have to say I do what sweetcakes has just said, a bit of curry powder to spice it up. Any veg but not potato and cauli is good if you want a thick soup. A Slimming Club leader told us this was a good idea as spicy flavours tended to satisfy the taste buds more. I reached goal wight with her back then (25 years ago) but sadly haven't stayed there. tho am not too bad now.

Haven't got a Soup Recipe but am in awe of the Warburtons Thin. I've tried to buy thin sliced bread everywhere with NO success. I have also tried bakeries where they will cut a loaf up for you only to be told that they don't have the equipment to slice 'thin'. If I try to do it by hand I get thick, middle sized and a pile of crumbs. Be intrigued to know where you buy it.

A little bit of curry powder helps mild or garam masala nice with a nan bread. ?

When summer is over, we have soup most days for lunch. I keep a supply of frozen veg, usually sweat off chopped onion and celery in butter or oil, add stock or stock cube with boiling water and then add frozen veg. I like pea, spinach with mint or broccoli and blue cheese. I tend to use up any left over cooked veg and any cheese that needs finishing off. I always have home grown tomatoes in the freezer and they make quick easy soup with chopped onion (pref red) basil milk+some tomato paste and a pinch of sugar. All so cheap, quick and easy.

=

Cauliflower and stilton is one of my favourites too! I also love roasted tomato & red pepper soup, spicy butternut squash soup, leek & potato soup and roasted garlic, parsnip & white bean soup. I'm just getting back into making soup, now that the weather has finally cooled down where I live!

I use stilton in cauliflower soup and in celery soup .Always put garlic in mushroom I think garlic and mushrooms were made for each other .Or rice with chunky cut mushrooms makes a really filling soup for a cold day .,My OH loves chicken rice and sweetcorn

Oh yes. Sounds sooooo good. Mental note taken...

CS783 - I adore cauliflower - thanks so much for this recipe, I will give it a try - mmmmm sprinkle some black pepper and strong grated cheddar to serve - my mouth waters

Thank you all so much for replying, I am learning so much