Cold weather calls for a warm bowl of soup, and we know that every great cook has a few soup recipes in their back pocket.
Below, we share with you three new winter soup recipes, all designed to warm up your kitchen.
Roasted Thai green sweet potato soup
Ingredients
250g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
50g sweet potato, thinly sliced
1 tin coconut cream
500ml vegetable stock
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Thai green curry paste
4 cloves of garlic
2 red onions
7cm piece of fresh ginger
2 lemongrass stalks
2 bird’s eye chillies
2 tsp ground cumin
20g fresh coriander
10g fresh basil
2 tbsp fish sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Place sweet potatoes on a tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for an hour or until soft. Remove from the oven, place in a blender, and puree or mash. Combine all paste ingredients in a blender and puree until incorporated and smooth. Add small amounts of water if the mixture is too thick.
Once combined, place in a pot and bring to a simmer over low heat. Add the stock, coconut cream, and pureed potatoes and mix well. Season to taste. To make the sweet potato crisps, toss the thin slices in olive oil and season with salt. Bake at 150ºC for 20-25min until golden and crispy. Top soup with fresh herbs and serve with chips.
Salmon and noodle broth
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ tsp ginger powder
½ tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ tbsp cornstarch
1½ litres of vegetable stock
200g cabbage
200g zucchini
10g fresh coriander
1 lime
Salt & pepper
Chillies of choice
Salmon fillet (cooked and cut into portions of your choice)
250g noodles of choice
Method
Heat the olive oil, then gently fry the garlic and chillies until softened. Add the ginger, honey, soy sauce, cornstarch, and stock. Bring to the boil, add the noodles and vegetables and cook until noodles and vegetables are done. Add the salmon and lime juice and heat through for a few minutes only, or the salmon will be overcooked. Plate, top with chopped fresh herbs, and serve immediately.
Recipes by chef Imtiyaaz Hart.
Whitfield family butternut soup
Ingredients
3 tbsp butter
2 onions chopped
2 cups butternut, cleaned & chopped
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled & chopped
3 tbsp flour
1-2 tsp curry powder
Pinch of nutmeg
3 cups chicken stock
1½ cups milk
Grated rind & juice of 1 orange
A pinch of salt, pepper & sugar
A dollop of cream per serving
Chopped parsley
If you are lactose or gluten intolerant or vegan, the following substitutes can be made:
1½ tbsp corn flour
3 cups vegetable stock
1½ cups almond milk
A dollop of coconut cream per serving
Method
Sauté the onions in butter (or oil) until soft and flavourful. Add the butternut, apple, orange rind, and juice to the onions to absorb and develop in flavour (about 3 minutes), stirring from time to time. Add the flour, curry powder, and nutmeg, blending with the vegetables.
Add the stock and milk. Simmer slowly for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Liquidise the solids in a food processor or rub them through a sieve. Taste, then add salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Serve topped with a dollop of cream and a sprinkling of parsley.
Handy tip: This soup improves with time, so prepare a day or two in advance, if you can, and keep it refrigerated. Make a large batch and freeze it for the winter.
Recipe courtesy of Loxtonia apple farm.